


The Soudam Project

by InfinityFizzyJuice



Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, Super Dangan Ronpa 2
Genre: Alternate Universe - Kagerou Project Fusion, Alternate Universe - No Killing Game (Dangan Ronpa), Alternate Universe - Non-Despair (Dangan Ronpa), Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Blood and Injury, Character Death, Coming Out, Denial of Feelings, Eventual Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Hinata Hajime and Kamukura Izuru Are Twins, M/M, Mutual Pining, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Slow Burn, Suffering, Time Loop, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-01
Updated: 2020-12-01
Packaged: 2021-03-07 17:27:43
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 30,971
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26751325
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/InfinityFizzyJuice/pseuds/InfinityFizzyJuice
Summary: On a hot summer day on August 15, Gundham Tanaka and Kazuichi Souda take a trip through the park to buy some parts. It seemed like a regular day, until the same scene started repeating. Over and over again, Kazuichi would die in some way and Gundham would fail to stop it. He doesn't know why, but his heart hurts so much...It can't be love. The Supreme Overlord of Ice does not "fall in love"!...Right?
Relationships: Hinata Hajime/Komaeda Nagito, Minor or Background Relationship(s), Other Relationship Tags to Be Added, Soda Kazuichi/Tanaka Gundham
Comments: 68
Kudos: 274
Collections: Completed stories I've read





	1. Souda Attention

**Author's Note:**

> I love Soudam so much and I just had an idea one day and BAM this happened. Also there needs to be more Soudam.  
> If you don't know what the Kagerou Daze is, the basic rundown is (without spoilers) that Gundham and Kazuichi are stuck in a time loop and at the end of the loop, Kazuichi will die and the day will reset. Gundham tries to save him but always fails.
> 
> I'm probably gonna edit this to make it better somewhere along the line so watch out for that.  
> By the way, I couldn't decide between making Gundham bisexual with a male lean or pansexual (those are both my headcannons) so I asked my friends and they said bi. So Gundham is bi with a male lean in this
> 
> If you want a better understand or something, just listen to the song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A7KNYk4f3XQ  
> But it will spoil (if you can call it that) the ending and how things play out. I do reference some of the lyrics from the wiki and stuff from the PV so do that if you want

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What happened before the storm.

It was an abnormally hot summer day with the sun beating down on anyone crazy enough to go outside. Yet, walking side-by-side in a park, were Kazuichi Souda, Ultimate Mechanic, and Gundham Tanaka, Ultimate Breeder. Kazuichi wore a neon blue T-shirt with neon yellow shorts and sneakers along with his trademark beanie, essentially making him a walking highlighter in addition with his bright pink hair. Gundham, however, looked nothing like his colorful counterpart. His outfit consisted of his signature purple scarf along with his usual black pants and boots. A white shirt with a purple cross design and a black button up covered his torso.

If someone were to tell them a year ago that they would be close friends, they would scoff in disbelief and laugh at the thought. At the time, Kazuichi had a crush on their classmate: Sonia Nevermind, the Ultimate Princess. Completely smitten with her looks and talent, he fell “in love” with her at first sight. The infatuation was so strong that he even began to stalk her daily. So, when Sonia preferred to be around Gundham due to their common interest in the occult, Kazuichi burned with jealousy and saw the breeder as a love rival.

In Gundham’s perspective, he saw Kazuichi as nothing more than a “lowly mortal” who was harassing his friend. He saw no reason for him to be jealous, as he had no romantic interest in the princess and only saw her as a close ally who needed training in the dark arts. Although, he did consider her as a potential partner, the breeder quickly rejected the idea as he saw that their relationship would be better as platonic, later realizing that the idea, sadly, stemmed from finally having a friend with similar interests after years of loneliness. Additionally, Sonia had no interest in seeking a romantic partner. But even after multiple rejections and signs of disinterest, Kazuichi continued to pester her for the good part of the school year.

Kazuichi’s stubbornness was a great challenge to Sonia’s patience, which was very high considering her talent. However, even her refined, plastered smile and practiced politeness withered as she finally snapped when Kazuichi had gone too far when arguing with Gundham at the end of what was a particularly frustrating day for her. After a long and powerful scolding by the princess, Kazuichi went to his classmates and closest friends, the talentless Hajime Hinata, and the Ultimate Yakuza, Fuyuhiko Kuzuryu, for guidance. It took some time and persuasion, along with Hajime’s younger twin brother, the Ultimate Hope, Izuru Kamakura, to convince Kazuichi that what he felt for Sonia wasn’t love.

The week after that was filled with silence from Kazuichi. His classmates could tell that he was thinking and wanted to be left alone, to which they obliged. Soon enough, the next time Kazuichi opened his mouth, he was bowing and spewing out apologies and regret towards the princess as she stood dumbstruck at his almost pitiful apology. He was tearing up by the end of his message and held his breath, preparing for the worst. Sonia only gave a soft smile and said the words that lifted a huge weight off his shoulders. He was completely forgiven and Kazuichi promised to be a better person to her from that moment on. Of course, he also had to apologize to Gundham for the many petty arguments he started.

Kazuichi was much more casual with Gundham’s apology; It was quick but filled with remorse. The breeder gave a smirk and forgave him, saying “the Supreme Overlord of Ice” had given him mercy and that he had been lucky he did not destroy him months ago with his “overwhelming power”. Kazuichi couldn’t help but laugh at his overdramatic declaration, much to the Dark Lord’s dismay. After that day, Kazuichi began to slowly improve his relationship with Sonia and Gundham.

He decided to start his path to atonement with getting to know the breeder better. Every day, Kazuichi would go to the farm where Gundham worked with the animals. Though it was awkward at the start, they grew closer and found that they greatly enjoyed each other’s company. Eventually, Kazuichi asked for Gundham’s help with repairing his friendship with the princess. Day by day, the three of them became close friends. They would often spend their free time with each other and meet up outside of school.

However, Gundham couldn’t help but feel…conflicted about his feelings toward Kazuichi. As time went on, he found himself stealing glances at the mechanic more and more when he thought he wasn’t looking. Any awkward and humorous moments caused by Kazuichi were called cute, which confused Gundham to no end. The pink haired man would regularly consume his thoughts and waking moments. The Dark Lord would actively search for him when he sensed his presence nearby. A small pain would rise in his stomach when most of his attention was on another mortal. His heart would flutter whenever Kazuichi smiled or laughed. He would feel a great sense of protection when the dense fool appeared hurt or felt threatened.

These feelings continued for months, and Gundham Tanaka could not figure out what these emotions could have meant. Seeking advice, he asked Sonia about why he “had been cursed and hexed by the Tamer of Automatons”. She smiled and looked at him straight in the eyes. There was a small glimpse of relief on her face, as if she were proud of her friend for finally realizing the obvious.

“You are in love with him,” she whispered. The breeder could not believe what she was saying. Immediately going on the defensive, he stated that there was absolutely no possibility of a cursed being such as himself could ever be seduced by a mortal such as Kazuichi Souda. The Supreme Overlord of Ice was destined to walk his path alone! Or so he said. And how foolish could he be to fall in love with a man that would never love him back? Gundham Tanaka was not a fool. The Enchanter of Machines was a straight man while the Wicked Overlord liked both genders, though preferred beings of the male persuasion. However, he only told the Dark Queen this fact, as Gundham was not going to divulge such information to lowly ranking mortals. Besides, they never asked.

The breeder’s affection for Kazuichi was a topic Gundham did not wish to discuss. Sonia understood this and left the subject alone for the time being, knowing that he needed to figure out his emotions himself. Instead of this, Gundham tried his best to avoid the issue. He completely denied his emotions, not knowing how to deal with them, and made his best attempt at continuing his daily life.

The week after, Kazuichi and Gundham met up once again. They discovered that the prosthetic deer leg they had made together for a school project had become damaged. Which is why they were walking to a hardware store to buy some parts to fix it. Technically, Gundham didn’t have to come along. But he couldn’t pass up a chance to spend some time with one of his closest friends, even if the mortal did make him blush red whenever he flashed a shark-toothed smile.

Therefore, the two friends were now walking through the park in a comfortable silence to purchase parts. With not a cloud in the sky, the sun was shining down on the two Ultimate students on August 15th at noon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please bear with me on updates as I still have school and writing is not easy :(  
> This is the first fanfic I ever posted online so I would love it if you had any constructive criticism for me.  
> I promise the next chapter actually has dialogue and plot.


	2. Kagerou Daze (Part 1)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The beginning of many summer days...

“It truly is a lovely day,” Gundham suddenly said absentmindedly. The mechanic gave him an odd look as he took off his beanie and wiped the sweat off his brow. The two had neared the edge of the park when Kazuichi ran to a bench in the shade of a tree. They had only been walking for 10 minutes, but the heat robbed the mechanic’s motivation to continue walking, so he insisted on a break. Gundham humored him. They were in no rush to buy the parts, and even he could feel the heat getting to him, though he would never admit it.

“You’re kidding, right?” Kazuichi replied. He fiddled with his beanie a little before putting it back on his head. “It’s like a million degrees out here!”

Gundham pulled out his phone. The screen read _12:28, August 15 (Sunday)_. With a few taps, he checked the weather report and saw it was 37°C. A scoff escaped from his mouth as he put his phone back in his pocket.

“I am very much aware of the ferocity of Helios on this day, Tamer of Automatons.” As Gundham struck a dramatic pose, his Four Dark Devas climbed out of his scarf and rested on his shoulders and sleeves. “However, this is nothing to the Great Gundham Tanaka! I have trekked through the extreme depths of the Netherworld and made every demon and beast kneel before me!”

“C’mon, man,” sighed Kazuichi. He gestured to Gundham’s head. “I can see yer sweating. Even your hamsters can’t stand the heat.”

“They are my Four Dark Devas of Destruction you insolent fool!” As if on cue, the Devas gave Kazuichi a playful glare and scurried back into the scarf’s soft fabric.

“Yeah, yeah,” he chuckled, “Whatever you say, Hamster-chan.” Gundham couldn’t help but smile when the pink-haired mechanic laughed. Thankfully, his blush and grin were hidden by his long scarf. “But I still don’t get how you can wear that get-up and not die of heat stroke. I thought you were the ‘Supreme Overlord of Ice’ or somethin’.”

“Kehehehehe…” snickered Gundham, “You cannot even begin to comprehend how far my—!”

“Hey, hey, shut up,” whispered Kazuichi. He looked away from Gundham and to a small figure a few feet away from him.

“How dare you inter—!”

“I said shut up, Gundy!” He pointed at the base of a large oak tree. “What’s that over there?” Turning his head, Gundham looked to see what he was referring to. A furry black shape was creeping behind the tree.

“A creature of the shadows has seen us, Shark Mechanic. We must be cautious, or it may be the cause of our destruction. Come! Show yourself, beast!” At that moment, a black tabby cat emerged and walked into the sunlight. It swished its tail and sat on the sidewalk, looking back and forth between the two.

“Oh,” said Kazuichi, “It’s just a cat.”

“It’s a midnight beast who curses those unlucky enough to stumble upon it with its envious evil eye!”

Kazuichi shrugged. “Y’think it’s lost or somethin’?”

“Perhaps. Though, I see no mark that signals which tribe it made its pact with.” Gundham got out of his seat and kneeled on one leg, gesturing to the cat to come to him. “Come to me, beast,” he said gently. “Come along, I will not harm you. You have nothing to fear.”

The cat eyed him curiously before getting up and sauntering towards the bench. It was walking towards him when it suddenly changed direction. Instead of going to Gundham, the cat dashed and jumped into Kazuichi’s lap.

“GHYAH!” Kazuichi shrieked. He froze and quickly moved his hands out of the way. The cat curled up on his lap and began purring, surprising both Ultimates. They both stared at the feline, in complete shock that an animal went to Kazuichi rather than the Ultimate Breeder. “This is totally weird.”

Gundham got up from the ground and returned to his seat. “Perhaps your astral level has grown to even greater heights than we expected! It is only fitting since you have been trained by the Dark Lord himself!”

Ever since Kazuichi made up with Gundham, the breeder had begun helping him improve his skills with animals. In the beginning, he could hardly get near an animal without it being hostile to him. Now, all Gundham’s beasts knew the pink-haired mortal’s name well and considered him a close ally. From the mice to the tigers and everything in between, Kazuichi could hang out with them and have nothing to fear. The creatures love to play with Kazuichi, and he did as well. But that was only after weeks and months of training. To have a random cat warm up to him so suddenly and ignore the Ultimate Breeder was like seeing Akane refuse to eat meat out of her own free will and opt for a salad instead. Not impossible, but definitely odd.

“It seems I should be more wary of your power, Sharp-Toothed One! Could it be that I have taught you too well?! Is it possible that you are now on the same astral level as I?!”

“Nah…I don’t think so,” he said as he relaxed a bit more. “I remember that all of yer new animals would always bite me or something when I first met them. Didn’t matter if you trained them or not. I know I got better at this stuff, but this is too weird…” He raised a careful hand and started petting the cat, causing the beast to close its eyes and purr. “I wonder what’s it doing here…”

“Mayhap the feline simply wished to roam the realm and enjoy basking in the cataclysmic death rays on this exceptional light.”

“You still think it’s a nice day, huh?” Kazuichi gave a soft smile and looked up towards the sky. While still petting the cat, he murmured, “Well, y’know, I kinda hate the summertime…”

Gundham’s frown was hidden by his scarf, his non-existent eyebrows furrowing. He did not understand why the Pink-Haired mortal would say such a bold thing. Yet, Kazuichi did not look distressed about it at all. His face was peaceful; his body calm with his hair being gently swayed by the wind. Gundham could see the light reflect off his pink contact lenses, mesmerized by how pretty they looked.

His eyes trailed to his mouth, which was slightly open, showing off a small glimpse of his razor-sharp teeth. Those teeth always intrigued him. They were pearly white despite Kazuichi’s addiction to sugary beverages. They reminded him of the many canines and carnivorous beasts he met over his years as a breeder. When he first saw them, he wondered if he was related to the ancient beast known as the Megalodon or cursed by a hellish demon. He couldn’t help but smile at the memory.

His eyes moved to his lips. Gundham stared at the thin, light pink flesh, noticing tiny little details no one else would normally see. He could see that they were slightly chapped as Kazuichi rarely applied chapstick. They were dull and riddled with tiny cracks, but a small veil of saliva reflected the light from the sun, giving them a rugged, yet clean look. At this point, Gundham’s face was bright pink.

When Kazuichi finally noticed Gundham was staring at him after an embarrassing amount of time, their eyes met. Having been caught, he quickly turned his head away from the mechanic and covered his entire face with his scarf. His cheeks were a deeper red than before and was spreading rapidly across his face.

“Hey, Gundham,” said Kazuichi, “You OK? Is something wrong?” Gundham opened his mouth to answer him, but nothing came out. He was too flustered to say anything and couldn’t bring himself to look at his friend. Then, out of nowhere, the cat jumped out of Kazuichi’s lap and ran out of the park.

“Hey!” yelled Kazuichi, “Come back!” He shot up from his seat and chased after the cat. Gundham snapped his head back to them.

“Mortal?” It took him a second to process what was going on, but he soon gave chase. “Mortal!” Thanks to his head start, Gundham was trailing behind Kazuichi. The cat ran onto the street with the mechanic on its tail. Kazuichi jumped onto the crosswalk as a blur at full speed began closing in on him. Gundham’s eyes widened as he reached out a hand.

“KAZUICHI!” he shouted.

The truck heard the scream a little bit too late.

Kazuichi looked at the truck as he was leaning forward, just about to continue chasing the cat. He paused, trapped in a single moment. It was like time froze but ticked again as a blaring horn rung throughout the air. A traffic light bore a shade of bright red as the truck struck him as he screamed. A loud thud sounded out as red was splattered, breaking him to bits.

Blood was everywhere. On the pavement. On the street signs. On the pedestrian lights. On the traffic lights. On the mailbox nearby. On the sidewalk.

On Gundham.

The truck stopped now, its windshield cracked and stained from the collision. The entire front was doused in the crimson liquid; it was around the tires and all over the road. On the street, Kazuichi’s body went limp. Blood pooled from where his still corpse lay, his once neon bright clothes now a deep shade of blood red. Arms and legs were bending at unnatural angles. His teeth were no longer pearly white as liquid flowed from his mouth. It was obvious where most of the damage was, as evident by how red covered most of his head. To call his hair pink, now, would be incorrect.

Kazuichi Souda was dead.

Gundham saw it all. From the moment he ran onto the street to when he saw the last breath of life leave him. Red was splattered on his pants and shirt, dyeing them the color of what was left of his friend. He brought a hand up to his mouth and stood frozen on the sidewalk. The scent of Kazuichi mingled with sprayed blood, choking him. A sickening feeling churned his stomach. He felt his soul being crushed; his heart being torn apart. Silent tears began to form in the corners of his eyes and cold drops of sweat ran down his face.

He felt it. The heat. It was mocking him.

Gundham looked around. There was no one there except for the black cat. It happily licked its paw without a care in the world. It gazed into Gundham’s eyes.

 _“This is reality!”_ it seemed to laugh along with the heat.

The faint chirps of a cicada were heard in the back of his mind as the world appeared to spin. With a final glance at bloodied Kazuichi’s corpse, the light blue of summer darkened away…

***

Heterochromatic eyes open to the sound of rustling leaves. A soft exhale was let out next to him, catching his attention. Gundham takes in the sight around him. He was surrounded by the green of a peaceful park. The hot sun filtering through the leaves and a gentle breeze blowing through the air. He was sitting on a bench with Kazuichi, who was gently petting a black cat.

A black cat?

Gundham checks the time. _12:04, August 14 (Saturday)_ , it reads. He felt strange, but there was nothing out of place. Everything was normal. It was a normal, abnormally hot summer day. Yet, he couldn’t help but recall the sound of a very noisy cicada.

“Shark Mechanic,” said Gundham with a frown.

“Yeah? What’s up?” Kazuichi turned to him. The breeder was staring down at the ground, lost in thought, carefully contemplating on what to say next.

“I…I momentarily recalled…a peculiar vision…that was delivered to me in the last darkness…”

“Y’mean a dream?” Gundham slowly nodded. “Well, what happened in it?”

“We were advancing through this exact plain,” he melancholically remembered. Colors and bits of memory trickled through his mind. “We agreed to rest upon this accommodation…and…” He couldn’t bring himself to say what came next. Souda eyed him curiously, waiting for him to finish his story, but nothing came out.

“Did’ja forget?” No answer. “Well, it can’t be helped if you forgot…”

Gundham turned his attention to the cat on the mechanic’s lap. It looked like the same one in his dream. _‘What is this sorcery?’_ he thought, _‘Surely, it cannot be…’_

Then, Kazuichi daringly tried to hold the cat in his arms, but it jumped and ran away.

“Hey!” yelled Kazuichi, “Come back!” At that moment, familiar images flashed through Gundham’s head. _The feline leaping out of Kazuichi’s lap. Kazuichi running to the street. A truck flying past. Red everywhere. Stained beanie. Kazuichi lying dead on the street. Kazuichi dead. Kazuichi. Kazuichi. Kazuichi. Kazu-._

He couldn’t let that happen. Dream or not, he couldn’t live through that again, he couldn’t take that chance. As the pink haired man started to run, Gundham quickly grabbed his wrist.

“Tamer of Automatons,” Gundham spoke sternly, “The…the stars do not align with us on this chaotic day. I must urge us to retreat to our natural realms or there will be…calamitous consequences.”

“Are ya sure? But what about—”

“Yes,” he answered without hesitation.

“…Alright. If you say so.” And thus, the two friends began walking back home. Exiting the park, they silently traveled on the sidewalk, the atmosphere a bit more tense than before. Gundham felt himself relax as they walked through the city. It was just a dream, nothing more. He was being foolishly paranoid.

Glancing around, Gundham saw numerous mortals point and turn up to the sky with mouths agape. Before he could register what was happening, Kazuichi sped forward, stepping slightly off the path, with his head down. Gundham opened his mouth to question his actions but was interrupted as a dozen iron poles fell from the sky and pierced the mechanic straight through his body.

The sound of wind chimes and Kazuichi’s ripping screams filled the spaces between the streets and trees. The poles stabbed through his chest and punctured the ground. Blood staining the neon clothes and covering the pavement. Red escaped his mouth with a powerful cough.

Gundham flinched backwards. It happened so quickly. One moment they were walking back home, and the next…

He couldn’t believe it. He didn’t want to believe it. He hastily maneuvered past the poles, making his way to his friend. That feeling came back again. It felt like the end times had arrived, like the day of Ragnarök had come, like he had lost a part of him. All for the second time.

“KAZUICHI!” Once he reached the body, his head turned up. He needed to know. He needed to know why. In the distance, the answer revealed itself: they were passing a skyscraper undergoing renovation. A crane’s cable snapped. What occurred next, he already saw with his own eyes.

_“You must be wishing that you are slumbering, but alas, this is the undeniable truth!”_

There it was again. The heat. Mocking. Laughing. He could hear it. In the unnatural scene, he turned and looked. The cat was off to the side, observing them. It ran off into a nearby alleyway. Where it disappeared to, he didn’t care. He only cared that his friend would never laugh again. Never again work on a machine. Never hang out with him again. He would never tell him—

Tears started to well up in his mismatched eyes as his vision blurred away and dimmed. There was a sharp pain in his chest he couldn’t place. Gundham took a last glimpse at Kazuichi’s face when something caught his eye.

_‘Why…such…a dark…smile…?’_

***

Pale, lidded eyelids swiftly flew open. The summer calm returned to the cursed world in a shade of light blue. Green trees and chirping cicadas filled the atmosphere with a cruel sense of familiarity. The park was the same as before, with the summer haze still preying on the weak.

Gundham sat stoically next to Kazuichi, who was still holding the cat. While it appeared that the Dark Lord was indifferent to his surroundings, in truth, an overwhelming sense of panic and dread was rising within him. Recollections of blood and suffering coursed through his mind. He brought a hand to his head as the realization hit him.

_‘It was no fantasy, Kazuichi is going to meet his end.’_

Without warning, Gundham grabbed the mechanic by the arm and started pulling him away from the park. The cat jumped out of the way and ran off, vanishing into the heat. Kazuichi stumbled at he tried to match the strides of his taller friend while frantically bombarding him with questions.

“Hey! Gundham!” he cried, “What the hell are ya doin’?! What’s wrong with you?! Where are we going?!” In response, Gundham started to run faster. “Hey! Slow down, idiot!”

_‘Forgive me, my comrade. I must not let history repeat itself…!’_

The Ultimates hurried through the city, not stopping, or looking back. Eventually, Kazuichi stopped resisting and just ran as fast as he could. He followed Gundham on an unfamiliar route and by the look on his face, he was still confused on their destination. In fact, even Gundham didn’t know where they were headed. The only mission he had was to get Kazuichi away from that cursed location as soon as possible.

They passed countless buildings along with trees and signs as nameless blurs payed no heed to them. Soon enough, they came upon a long set of stairs leading to a bridge overlooking the street below. With no crosswalk in sight, Gundham dashed up the steps with Kazuichi still in tow. As the breeder’s feet reached the top, he felt his grip on the pink haired man loosen. Turning around, he let out an anguished cry.

“NO!” A pale hand reached out, but it was no use. Kazuichi had slipped on the final step. He was leaning backwards, an arm outstretched towards Gundham. Pink eyes meet the colors of red and gray. Hopelessness and distress painted itself onto the pale face as he watched his friend tumble down the stairs. Drops of blood flew and dripped with every thump and crash until the noises ceased when the body hit the ground. Yet again, Kazuichi was a twisted mess of crimson and flesh.

 _“It is of no use! Your eyes do not deceive you!”_ the heat laughed again.

A sinking feeling formed in the pit of his stomach. He couldn’t understand. Another failure? Gundham turned his head to the side. Still, nothing was there. His legs felt weak, his breath getting shorter. Knees fell to the floor and hands were buried into streaked hair. His head felt as though it were going to split open. He wanted to cry, to scream, to laugh; anything to let some of his emotions out.

But nothing came.

Only heavy breaths and a crushing weight on his shoulders.

Seconds later, he felt his breathing slow, eyelids growing heavy, arms gradually falling to the side. Gundham felt a light scratching at his hand but didn’t have the willpower to investigate. Bit by bit, the blue sky grew faint and the smell of summer and blood drifted away until he collapsed.

***

The scene is the same as before. The same bench. The same trees. The same sky. The same annoying buzzing of a cicada. Once again, Gundham awakens, but he feels even worse than the last times. His body tenses up, heartbeat racing and arms slightly trembling. He knows what’s going to come. He can sense it. His eyes dart to the cat peacefully relaxing on Kazuichi’s lap. Panicked thoughts ran rampant as Gundham prepared to act.

_‘Death will capture him once more. I must save him. He will not meet his demise. I will not allow my—'_

He stops thinking when he feels something move against his legs. He looks down. Supernova Silver Fox San-D was squeaking, trying to get his attention. Having successfully distracted their owner, the rest of the Devas climbed out of his scarf and sat with San-D. Like many times in the past, the hamsters struck one of the evil poses that the Dark Lord taught them. Gundham’s eyes widened as he let out a silent gasp. They were trying to cheer him up. In the recent pandemonium, he completely forgot that his Devas were with him. His cold heart softened, and he gave them a smile. His nerves relaxed and he cleared the negative thoughts from his mind. A wave of calm washed over him despite knowing the situation he was in. Regaining focus, questions began to form in his head.

“Were you also witness to the Tamer of Automaton’s fate?” he whispered to the Devas. They nodded in confirmation. In a short discussion, Gundham quickly learned that the Devas were present and knew of Kazuichi’s past deaths. They too, had no idea what was happening or why. Out of curiosity, Gundham checked his phone again. _12:04, August 14 (Saturday)._

 _‘It seems we are imprisoned in an infinite cycle,’_ he concluded. _‘And it renews itself when…’_ Gundham can feel his misery returning. His face saddened and eyes started to water. Confusion soon added itself into the unholy mix of emotions he was feeling. _‘I do not understand…I have seen many a ruination when training my diabolical armies of beasts. Then why…when he—’_ Of course, the Four Dark Gods sensed their master’s discomfort and immediately scurried up his arms to lift his mood. Another smile breaks out and he can’t help but feel like everything is going to be alright.

“Thank you, my Devas. I cannot express my immense gratitude to you all,” he mumbled to them. The Devas seemed satisfied with this and snuck back into his clothes.

“Hey, Gundham,” Kazuichi said, noticing his friend’s shuffles. “What’cha talking about with the Devas?”

“We were merely discussing our next plan of attack in order to expand the Tanaka Empire,” he impulsively lied. He didn’t want to tell Kazuichi he was going to die. How could he? How do you tell someone, one of your closest allies, that they were going to die? That they would never see the light of day again? It may sound simple, but breaking the news was like stabbing them straight through the heart. However, Gundham felt conflicted about this. He wanted to tell his dearest friend the truth. To him, it almost seemed crueler to let him carry on without a clue.

Almost.

Before he could speak any further, the cat jumped from the mechanic’s lap.

“Tamer of Automatons,” Gundham said rapidly, just as he saw Kazuichi shift to leave his seat. “I advise you to let the feline be, for it may be returning to its tribe. It would be unwise to disturb it.” It was a reasonable excuse, and it seemed the mortal believed it. Kazuichi sank back down in his seat.

“Yeah…you’re probably right,” he admitted, “I mean, you’re the expert.” Gundham felt a hint of relief when Kazuichi agreed to stay.

 _‘It may be possible to save the Pink-Haired One. If he does not leave this location, perhaps there will be nil to end his life.’_ A horn rang out as he finished his thought. Gundham looked to the road and saw the same truck from before speed past. He slightly shivered at the memories of the first loop. It seems Kazuichi was safe from the truck this time. The Sharp-Toothed One watched the street as well and gave a smirk.

“Y’know, that truck reminds me of the time Nagito somehow got a truck to fly right at me,” Kazuichi said, “I have no idea why that guy’s luck is so weird, but whenever he’s involved in anything, nothing good ever happens to me. And my luck is already bad enough as it is.”

A sad hum escaped Gundham. “I must admit, it was quite amusing to see such an unfortune event cast upon you as a result of the Lucky One’s incantation. The Slow-Witted Healer was required to bind your mortal form in gauze in the aftermath.”

“Hah…don’t remind me,” he chuckled, “Nagito’s a freak of nature. I have no idea what Hajime sees in him.”

“Kehehehehe…It was inevitable. The fiend contains a singularity! It’s only natural the One Enslaved in an Unholy Cycle was attracted to him. His destiny changed drastically, and his monologues of morality have greatly decreased in frequency.”

“Yeah, Nagito’s been getting a lot better. I’m actually really happy for them.” Kazuichi flashed a smile, though Gundham couldn’t help but notice that it seemed a bit forced.

“Indeed. They’re truly—” Gundham heard a faint sputtering. “Halt! Do you hear that?”

“Hear what?” Pink eyes darted to the left and right, searching for the source of the noise. Gundham did the same but saw nothing, yet the sound was still there, very slowly growing louder. “You mean the cars on the road? That’s a pretty normal thing, Gundham. Maybe the heat’s getting to ya. C’mon, let’s get—”

He didn’t get to finish his sentence. Out of nowhere, a runaway motorcycle came from behind and crashed right into where Kazuichi was sitting. The bike turned over and hit the mechanic in the head, killing him instantly. The vehicle skidded and smashed into the side of a tree, leaving a motionless corpse in its wake. His pink head leaked blood on the ground, skull slightly misshapen.

Gundham didn’t have time to react. He didn’t even see the motorcycle beforehand. Yet, here it was, choosing to murder his ally and leave the Supreme Overlord completely unharmed.

 _“Do you not see that your efforts are fruitless?”_ the heat taunted.

 _‘I heard it. The vehicle. I…could have…’_ There was a painful jab in his heart. He could’ve saved him. If he had just asked him to move to the side, or maybe leave the bench altogether. But no. Fate was cruel. The tears started to fall. Regret and sorrow flooded his entire being, breath becoming shallow and face getting hot.

Gundham wasn’t an ugly crier, but he was tempted. He tried his best to keep a straight face as he cried, his pride preventing him from showing anything else. He got up from his seat and kneeled over the body. A hand was placed on the side of the mechanic’s bloodied face. It was still warm, but he could feel the heat leaving him.

The Devas climbed out of the scarf, half of them nuzzling Gundham’s face to comfort him and the others mourning Kazuichi’s death. The nuzzling did help. If the Devas weren’t there, Gundham wouldn’t have been as calm as he was now. Still, he failed. The feelings came back again, this time twice as worse. It was torture, having to see his death on repeat. He could never forget the feeling of losing his friend.

“Do not worry, Kazuichi,” Gundham whispered to his body, “I vow to save you from this curse. Please…I promise…” With that, Gundham closed his eyes and let the world around him fade. His body fell to the ground, and the summer day slipped away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ta-dah! Plot!  
> Also I'm very sorry if anything is out of character or if things don't make sense.  
> Just a heads up it's gonna take a quite while for the next chapter.
> 
> Constructive criticism is greatly appreciated


	3. Kagerou Daze (Part 2)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Looks like the summer days were good for one thing...

Gundham stopped checking the time about 15 more loops in. Deep down, he hoped that things would go back to normal. He wouldn’t have to see him die over and over and over again anymore. They would go back to their daily life, go back to the academy, hang out with their friends, hone their talents, etc. Maybe…Gundham would be able to spend a little bit more time with him, just getting to know the other a little bit better.

But it didn’t stop. It kept going. It read the same date each time. It was the same setting each time. It was the same ending each time: Kazuichi would die, the heat would laugh, and light blue sky would darken away.

Gundham didn’t give up. He pressed on, trying to think of new ways to avoid death. He took Kazuichi on a walk around the park during the 6th loop. They talked about the usual: New projects they were working on, schoolwork, their classmates, jokes, and even what they were going to do tomorrow.

If only that day would come.

He died when a tree fell on him that time.

As the days repeated, Gundham’s emotions stopped showing. He stopped crying after the 19th loop, but the agony only increased exponentially. He thought that he would grow used to the sight of his bruised, bloodied, and broken form. He thought that by seeing it enough times, he would grow immune to the spectacle.

Gundham didn’t grow immune, he just ran out of tears to shed. With each death, his soul was chipping away, hurting more with every failure. Looking at the mechanic loop after loop brought him both joy and sorrow at the same time. Joyful that he had another chance, that he would see him uninjured. But then came the death. He would die, no matter how hard Gundham tried to stop it.

The Overlord tried calling for help. Strangely enough, most times, the area was deserted. But when there were mortals nearby, they did not help them at all. They either thought he was crazy or ignored him. When Kazuichi would die, they just stood around them in shock. He didn’t blame them; he wouldn’t have believed it either. So, he dialed every contact he had: his classmates, emergency services, the police, even the numbers of local pet shops he knew. No one would pick up. Once, while walking down the sidewalk, he asked for Kazuichi’s phone to borrow, to see if anyone would answer. The phone didn’t even finish ringing when Kazuichi was killed by an unknown bullet piercing his lung.

He decided to stop attempting to summon aid a few more deaths after that.

Sometimes, he would see the black cat, just out of the corner of his eye, doing nothing but watching them. Sometimes, it would walk near Kazuichi’s body, as if inspecting it. Sometimes, he wouldn’t see it at all. It would jump and disappear in the scorching haze. Or maybe it was always there, and Gundham just didn’t spot it in chaos.

They were on the 34th loop when they were sitting at a cafe. Kazuichi was hungry and wanted something to eat. Gundham hadn’t tried this path yet, so he thought he might as well explore the option. Having placed their orders already, the two were chatting and passing the time. Gundham didn’t care for the repeating days right now. He was happy listening to his friend talk on about how he was building a small-scale rocket that would serve as a base design for his future masterpiece. He was happy that he was alive. At least, for now.

“Yeah, when I first talked about it with Chihiro, he was super surprised too,” Kazuichi continued, pausing to take a sip of his soda. “Best part is, he said he would help make a navigation program that would be three times as advanced than the ones astronauts have now!”

“I wish you luck in your future endeavors. May the gods of fortune smile upon you,” Gundham said, briefly forgetting what situation he was in.

“Thanks…but enough about me. I’ve been talking way too much.” Raising a pale hand, Gundham nudged his scarf a little higher up his face to hide the creeping blush.

“I disagree. I quite enjoy listening to your battles and tales. Your achievements will make history among these mortals!” Kazuichi sheepishly laughed, putting an awkward hand behind his head. He turned his face to the window, cheeks slightly pink. Gundham felt butterflies in his stomach at the sight, he could never get tired of looking at him.

“So, what’s up with you?” he asked, changing the topic.

“Nothing out of the ordinary. In the recent days, the antihero leader of outlaws has been frequenting the farm to visit the young hell hounds with his mate.”

“Really? I was wondering why I didn’t see Mondo and Taka that much lately. Didn’t know they were going on so many dates…”

“They are, without a doubt, utterly enamored with each other. Neither heaven nor hell could tear those two apart!” Kazuichi fiddled with his braid and looked to the ceiling.

“I wonder what it feels like to be in love,” Kazuichi blurted out. A surprised Gundham widen his eyes at him, though the mechanic didn’t notice.

“What?!” exclaimed Gundham.

“Huh?” He refocused his attention on the breeder, suddenly realizing what he had said moments before. “O-oh! Sorry! Guess I said something stupid again, huh?” Gundham subtly lifted his scarf to his reddening cheeks.

“N-not at all. You merely caught me off guard,” he said lamely, “But…your query. What has caused you to ask such a thing?”

“It’s just…Well I…Um…” he hesitated, trying to find the right words. A few seconds of silence pass before he took a deep breath and decided to start over. “I just…thought it would be really great to be in love, y’know?” Gundham shot him a confused look, furrowing his non-existent eyebrows. Sensing his confusion, Kazuichi quickly tried to fix his mistake while tears of embarrassment started to well up in his eyes. “Sorry! Sor—look, just, forget about it, OK?”

A smirk of amusement formed on Gundham’s face. The Shark Mechanic was known for speaking his mind without second thought. Though the habit has caused more than Kazuichi’s fair share of trouble and awkwardness, Gundham thought it was cute. “There is no shame in wanting to experience such things, Tamer of Automatons,” he assured him, “The merriment of the pairs in our realm of education is an enviable sight.”

“I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a little jealous. I kinda want to be in real love, especially after that whole ‘fake love’ thing with Sonia.” He paused and cringed, putting a hand to his face. “Oh god, I bet I sound really lame right now.”

“Of course not. As I have said, there’s no shame.”

“Man, you’re really chill about this.” He rested his chin on his hand as a mischievous grin crept along his face. “But what about you, Gundy? You ever been in love before?” Gundham cleared his throat at the question, the did a double take.

Love. Love? Gundham Tanaka? In love?

Sonia’s words echoed through his mind: _“You are in love with him.”_

He was so preoccupied with saving Kazuichi that he forgot about what the She-Cat told him. Even so, Gundham didn’t want to think about this. But now that the topic was brought up, he couldn’t stop himself from pondering the idea. He had overheard of the symptoms of love when his classmates were practically interrogating Nagito and Hajime about their newly revealed relationship: quickened heartbeat whenever they were near, constant thoughts about them, wanting to always be around them, and adoring their personality were some of the few things mentioned.

Thinking about it now, it would seem that he did meet a quite few of the criteria. Gundham did not want to have this conversation with himself, but he might as well. Currently, he had all the time in the world. And he knew that the Dark Queen would eventually make him confront his emotions, so he would rather avoid her wrath.

“Hey! Gundham!” Kazuichi called. He was frantically waving his hand back and forth in front of Gundham’s face, trying to catch his attention. “Hamster-chan! You OK? Are you in there?” The breeder shook his head and rapidly blinked his eyes, forcing himself to return to reality.

“Y-yes. I apologize.”

“Why’d you zone out?” He needed to think of an excuse, fast. There was no way Kazuichi was going to know what he was actually thinking.

“I was merely at a loss for words at your foolishness!” he swiftly announced. “I am appalled that you would even _think_ that an immortal being such as myself would have ever ‘ _been in love_ ’! The Supreme Overlord of Ice would never ‘ _fall in_ _love_ ’! It only proves how idiotic you are!”

“Hah. Well, I guess that makes sense,” he said somewhat disappointedly. Seconds later, his face changed from a look of disappointment to irritation. “But hey! I’m not an idiot!” He jokingly flicked him in the forehead, earning him a mean scowl and causing the mechanic to go into a laughing fit.

If only Gundham could hear that laughter without it ending in death. Kazuichi died that time when a knife flew from the kitchen and stabbed his neck. Blood oozed out of his wound as his body fell on the table. Their food had almost arrived too.

_“What you see is exactly what you deserve!”_

He could hear the small bits of the argument the people had back there before the café dwindled into nothingness. Something about making friends, someone unwelcome, and a seesaw? Or maybe it was salt? No, that’s ridiculous. How could those topics grow into such a violent disagreement? Gundham must have heard it wrong.

***

After the café incident, Gundham did two things: he swore to keep Kazuichi away from that place and he thought more about his feelings for the mortal. He had no idea what to do, so he figured he would take the mechanic on multiple outings to different locations. If anything, maybe he would survive.

The first place was further into the park, carefully avoiding the tree that killed him before. Gundham couldn’t take his eyes off the subject of his emotional distress every step of the way. It was quiet; peaceful. He got to see that sharp-toothed smile even more. It was so carefree and happy. He loved that smile. It made him feel so warm inside, and butterflies never ceased to appear. Funny enough, it made him feel a little anxious too.

That smile was destroyed when they walked near a baseball field. It was an incident involving a rogue baseball and his head meeting a baseball bat. It didn’t matter. Despite the blood and cracked teeth, Gundham still thought it was the most beautiful smile in the world.

They went further downtown, where most of the stores were. They went in a few clothing shops, browsing the aisles, poking fun at some of the designs. It was here when Gundham began to really notice how handsome Kazuichi was. He always liked the Tamer of Automatons for his character, not his looks. But now, he was fixating on certain aspects of him that he found charming. Seeing the Pink-Hair One try on a multitude of clothes and accessories, he discovered that he would look good in almost anything he wore. Either that or Gundham was too busy looking elsewhere to make a proper judgement.

Instead of focusing on the clothes, the breeder examined his ally’s physical features. Once again, he was seeing little details that no one else would care to search for. His greasy and wild pink hair, shiny pink eyes, fine, muscular lines from years of working with machinery, and so, so much more. Gundham could write a book about how beautiful Kazuichi was, but there wouldn’t be enough paper in the world to finish it if he did.

In all the stores they visited, they ended up not buying anything except for two keychains: a wrench for Gundham and a pentagram for Kazuichi. Make no mistake, it was the Shark Mechanic’s idea to give the Supreme Overlord a wrench keychain.

“Something to remember me by,” he said.

Even though Gundham knew that their purchase would disappear by the next loop, he still agreed to buy it. Why not? It was a present from Kazuichi. If he could keep it, the Dark Lord would’ve held it in his pocket as a token of good luck.

Good things never last.

As soon as Kazuichi stepped outside the doors, a solid steel ball fell atop his head.

Gundham didn’t bother turning his head up. He walked closer to the corpse, gazing upon the result of his failure. In the mechanic’s palm, he was clutching the pentagram, holding onto it for dear life as though he was still alive. Reaching out a hand, Gundam retrieved the keychain and held it tightly to his chest. Even motionless as the dead and covered in blood, Kazuichi was still the most gorgeous being Gundham had ever laid eyes on.

Nevertheless, it didn’t stop his heart from hurting again.

There was an amusement park taking place farther up the city. They walked around the stands, looking for prizes to win and foods to eat. Since they couldn’t go on most of the rides because of Kazuichi’s motion sickness, most of the time was spent talking and playing games. The two explored most of the realm, winning small prizes every so often.

He liked that loop. Gundham loved hearing Kazuichi’s voice and laughing along with him. He loved hearing his terrible jokes, his talks of engines and machines, action movies, comic books, and his many other interests. If it made him happy, the Dark Lord would listen to the Tamer of Automatons for eons.

In each game, they tried to best each other and win the better prize. Even though they got into small petty fights every now and then, they were still best friends. During the last game, a shooting game including multiple tricks deceptions, a bet was made that the winner would choose the next place they would go to. Thanks to his knowledge of mechanics and machinery, Kazuichi easily won that round.

Gundham couldn’t explain it, but when they entered the place Kazuichi decided on, he had a bad feeling. He tried to stop him, but the mortal was persistent. The Sharp-Toothed One rushed on ahead to the top floor, eager to beat his friend once more.

He knew going into the funhouse was an awful idea.

A part of the funhouse was going up on an elevator. At the very top, the floor of the elevator gave way and Kazuichi plummeted to his death about 6 floors down. When Gundham arrived at the body, he saw another slight smile surrounded in red.

Why did he have to choose the funhouse?

Maybe if Gundham was in his own element, Kazuichi wouldn’t die. At least, that’s what he thought. It was the Supreme Overlord’s idea to go to the zoo and the Pink-Haired One gladly agreed. The zookeepers took great care of the beasts, always keeping them healthy and happy. Every creature and mortal there knew the breeder well. Gundham regularly visited to make sure everything was running smoothly and to train the animals in person.

They toured the area, looking at every single beast and occasionally going in the cages for a quick play. Gundham explained every action the beasts did, fascinating Kazuichi with his overwhelming knowledge of fauna. Taking extra precautions in the animal cages, the Ultimates fed and talked to the beasts for a long while. Some of them even remember Kazuichi from months ago when Gundham taught him how to be better with animals.

It was when they were finishing up their tour a tiger and a panther escaped their environments in a frenzy. What caused them to be like this, no one knew. They were heading right for Kazuichi with blood-thirsty eyes when Gundham threw himself in between them. Assuming a battle stance, the Great Gundham Tanaka demonstrated his power as the Ultimate Breeder. Even looking upon evil incarnate, the fiends showed no signs of stopping and only seemed more enraged. They charged at him without delay, ready to kill anyone in their path. But upon speaking their true names at the last moment, the beasts stopped and regained their senses, remembering who they were up against.

Kazuichi was safe.

The vicious felines safely returned to their homes, leaving the two alone once again. A relieved Gundham turned around to find Kazuichi throwing himself on the breeder in a tight squeeze. Not used to such sudden contact, he awkwardly stood in place and inelegantly returned the hug. While the Tamer of Automatons was repeatedly spluttering ‘thank you’ and ‘Oh my god, I was so scared’, Gundham could feel his heart rapidly climbing in rate. He didn’t really mind when Kazuichi touched him since he proved to be highly resistant to his poisonous skin. However, it seemed the Pink-Haired One had a hidden power that was making Gundham feel even hotter than the summer day. Being so close to him was making his face a deep red that he struggled to hide with his scarf. His breath hitched as a mixture of joy and nervousness developed in his stomach.

But above all, Gundham felt relief and triumph that he succeeded.

He saved Kazuichi! He was victorious!

…

…

…

He should’ve known it was too good to be true.

Suddenly, within seconds, Kazuichi’s loosened his grip as his legs gave in and he was soon leaning on the breeder for support. Gundham grabbed his shoulders, attempting to stand his upright, but the mechanic was like a lifeless doll.

“Kazuichi? Kazuichi?!” he said, “What’s wrong?! Speak to me!” There was no response. He shook the body in a desperate attempt to wake him. In the end, Gundham gave up. Holding the deceased body in his arms, Gundham sat on the ground, his mind in a catastrophic mess.

_‘I thought I saved him. It was going to end.’_

“WHO IS THE ACCURSED FIEND THAT STRUCK DOWN KAZUICHI?!” he yelled to the gods above. As if in response, something long and scaly slithered into his vision. A solid black snake with deep red eyes appeared in front of him. It stood up and hissed, revealing a lighter underbelly and a purple tongue. It was unlike anything Gundham had ever seen, which was very peculiar as he knew almost every species of animal on the planet.

Connecting the dots, Gundham looked to Kazuichi’s legs. There were two red marks near his ankle, the area surrounding it a shade of light pink.

“Death by venom…” he concluded. Glancing back up through tear-soaked eyes, he saw that the snake had disappeared.

 _‘How did I not sense it?’_ Gundham caressed the Sharp-Toothed One’s cheek and, after a split second of hesitation, wrapped his arms around him in a longing embrace.

The heat laughed the hardest it ever did when the neon clad human grew colder and colder in Gundham’s arms.

***

It was on the 71st loop when Gundham finally realized it. Though he didn’t know it took that long. He had lost count of how many loops had passed an eon ago when he stopped caring about how many times he failed. However, that didn’t stop his Devas who were carefully counting every death and summer day that had flew away. And with each reset, they comforted their master the best they could and tried to help, constantly relaying what little information they had. All while the Devas tried to convince Gundham that he truly loved Kazuichi as he fell deeper and deeper for him with each passing loop.

It happened when the two were walking down a street, chatting away, when a girl about their age approached them. She wore a black sundress and sandals for the weather and had an innocent smile.

“H-hello!” she greeted, “My name is Mina Tomita! I’m really sorry for interrupting, but you guys are from Hope’s Peak, right?”

“Uh…yep!” Kazuichi answered, “That’s us. How’d you know?”

“I saw your names online and your projects on TV! I’m a huge fan!” She pointed her finger at Kazuichi then to Gundham. “You’re Kazuichi Souda, the Ultimate Mechanic, and you’re Gundham Tanaka, the Ultimate Breeder!”

Gundham already didn’t like this situation. He knew that his name was much more known since he attended Hope’s Peak, but he still didn’t like to be confronted by strangers like this, especially by one who seemed to be so bold. Though she seemed like a sweet girl, Gundham couldn’t help but suspect her. To him it just…didn’t feel right.

“I just wanted to say that I think you guys are really cool!” Tomita took a small step forward. “You must be amazing to get into Hope’s Peak!”

“Oh. W-well, we’re not that amazing,” Kazuichi laughed nervously, “Right, Gundham?”

“Speak for yourself, Tamer of Automatons,” he smirked, “For I am the one who will one day rule this world!”

“Your speech is exactly like how everyone says it is,” Tomita pointed out. “It’s a little weird…” Gundham frowned at her blunt statement.

“Well, that’s Gundham for ya,” said Kazuichi, “You get used to it.”

“Really?” she giggled.

“Really. He’s great, the Ultimate Breeder and all.” Gundham’s face flushed at the compliment, causing him to pull up his scarf. He appreciated Kazuichi carrying the conversation since he had more skill in social interactions like this. Though he could tell the mechanic was starting to get a little uncomfortable.

“That’s cool and all, but…” Tomita was slowly creeping forward into their personal space, though it was mainly towards Kazuichi. “I’m more interested in what the Ultimate Mechanic does.”

“M-me?” Kazuichi gulped. The girl was very close to him, less than an arm’s length away.

“Yeah, you. I’ve heard do much about you! It was so nice of you to help that poor deer!”

“It wasn’t just me. Gundham played a big part in it too y’know…”

“I know, but you built it! It looked so complicated, but I bet that’s nothing for someone like you! You must make so many awesome things! To be honest, I think you’re the coolest Ultimate in the academy. Your talent is awesome and, well, you’re kinda cute…” She whispered that last part, but Gundham’s keen ears caught it. That really pissed him off. His blood was practically boiling at her endeavors of flirtation, and he had to bite his tongue to prevent himself from saying anything too rash.

“T-thanks! Uh…” Kazuichi awkwardly leaned backwards a took a tiny step back. “T-that means a lot.”

“No worries! So, um, do you want my number? If you want, we can meet up and chat a bit more? Or we can get something to eat right now if you’re not busy?” Gundham had to stop himself from punching her face right then and there. By now, Kazuichi’s discomfort skyrocketed and he was sweating from the sudden questions.

“O-oh…well…uh…” Enough was enough. Before he could say any more, Gundham stepped in between them, aura dark and protective, and sent Tomita a striking death glare.

“Begone foul succubus! Lest I cast you into the fires of hell and pandemonium!” Gundham yelled. The Devas poked their heads out and bared their teeth at her, hissing. “Unless you wish for evil incarnate and death himself to obliterate you, I suggest you leave this realm and never return! I’LL DESTROY YOU! For I am the Supreme Ascendant Overlord of Ice, Gundham Tanaka!” He was fuming at this point while Kazuichi stood speechless like an idiot. Tomita’s face changed from one of charm and delight to one of confusion and disdain.

“What’s your deal?” she scowled.

“My _‘deal’_ is that you are shameless wench who is attempting to seduce my ally! I advise you to admit defeat, for the Tamer of Automatons’ Magical Essence can end your life in an instant! He is far too powerful to succumb to your hexes!”

“A wench?! What the hell are you talking about?!” She tried to get past him, but he blocked her every move.

“H-hey! Let’s not get too carried away!” Kazuichi stammered.

“Nonsense! We do not have to waste our strength on a pathetic, lowly mortal such as _her_.” Grabbing his hand, Gundham pulled Kazuichi away and marched past Tomita. “Don’t even _think_ about following us, or you’ll face the wrath of the Tanaka Empire!” he roared at her.

“Fine! You weirdo!” she shouted at him as they turned the corner. Tomita went in the other direction, stomping her feet as she left. As the sounds of her footsteps died down, Gundham slowed down his movements and relaxed. He released a breath he didn’t know he was holding in.

_‘Thank heavens she’s gone.’_

“Hey, Gundham?” said Kazuichi.

“Yes?”

“You can let go of my hand now.” Looking down, Gundham saw that they were indeed still holding hands. Quickly flinching away, he put some distance between them, blushing like a madman. He pulled his scarf up to the point where it almost covered his entire face and turned away out of embarrassment.

“I-I apologize. I d-did not mean to d-do t-that…”

“It’s fine,” he assured. “But you didn’t haf’ta do that for me. I was gonna say no anyways. I’ve been through this kinda stuff before. And it’s still as scary as I remember. Tons of girls asked me out after I got rid of my glasses and dyed my hair.” Gundham felt sharp pang in his chest as he said that. As if noticing the pain past his scarf, he joked, “What? Were ya jealous or something?”

“I-I would never be _jealous_ of a mere mortal! Such things are beneath me.”

“Hahaha! But don’t worry. I’m not going anywhere, Hamster-chan.” Kazuichi patted Gundham’s back in a friendly manner and smiled. “I love ya too much to do that to ya!” Gundham’s heart leapt in a mix of happiness and woe. He wanted to hear him say that again. He liked hearing those words directed at him. But the way he said it clearly meant that it was platonic; that they were just friends.

He didn’t like that.

_‘I…don’t want this.’_

“T-thank you…” Gundham managed to say, trying to hide his disappointment. After that, they continued to walk in a comfortable silence with the breeder deep in thought.

_‘I…would like to hear him say it again…’_

Kazuichi stopped walking.

_‘I wish…he would say it differently…’_

Gundham ceased his movements automatically in response, not paying attention to the world around him.

_‘I…don’t…want him to disappear…’_

A neon blur sped past.

_‘Tamer of Auto—Kazuichi…’_

A man’s yells could be heard.

_‘I…desire to tell you—’_

A huge explosion erupted from the store next to them, shattering the large glass window, and snapping Gundham out of his daze. Senses coming back, he blinks and shakes his head, confirming that what he just saw was real. Kazuichi had been caught in the explosion, throwing his body to the street in a red mess. The building was engulfed in a massacre of flames and Gundham could see a few men walk out of the debris.

But he didn’t care about those fools right now. He ran over to Kazuichi to see his body covered in little broken shards. The heat from the explosion charred his clothes and dulled his color. Around them, screams and sirens shook the air as everyone was in a panic. Police filtered into the streets, facing off against the men who were using the store as a coverup for drug production. The bangs of guns and the crackling of fire surrounded them. No one noticed the dead body in the middle of the road or the oddly dressed man next to it.

_“You truly are an imbecile! Even the jester would mock you!”_

Kneeling on the ground, he took the calloused hand into his, squeezing it tightly. Gundham gulped and took the cleanest breath he could despite the smoke polluting the air. His mouth suddenly went dry, but he pushed through. He had to say it, before the day reset. He needed to. He needed to get this off his chest. Staring right at Kazuichi’s face, he said the words he had been denying for so damn long.

“I love you, Kazuichi. I love you with every fiber of my being.” Tears fell on the mechanic’s body. Gundham brought the lifeless hand to his lips, gently brushing them against the rough knuckles. “I love you. I love you. I love you…”

He said it again and again. He said it enough times to make up for his refusing his own feelings and then some. Even as he felt the world deteriorate into nihility and his mortal form grow weak, he didn’t stop.

“Kazuichi…I love you…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for the kudos and comments! I really didn't expect this from my first fic and oh god I hope this chapter made sense and it isn't too OOC. I'm sorta making this up as I go. (That girl is gonna make another short appearance later btw)  
> Hopefully the next chapter won't take me too long (I'm writing this in real time now along with school ;-;)  
> If you couldn't tell already, some of the deaths are gonna reference the executions and murders from the games.
> 
> Constructive criticism is greatly appreciated


	4. Kagerou Daze (Part 3)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Far away and out beyond those scorching summer days.

With his epiphany, Gundham pressed on. He witnessed countless deaths and endured every crushing feeling the loops gave him with the hope that Kazuichi will live. Despite his newfound motivation, the Tamer of Automatons still died each time. Fate constantly created new ways for Gundham to suffer. Like when Kazuichi was slaughtered by a passing train, or when he burned to death and he screamed for his life, or when he ended up hanging by his neck and gently swayed above the ground.

Gundham sometimes forgot to remember which things led to which death. It was unavoidable, there were simply too many memories plaguing his mind. When it did happen, he would curse himself and his own stupidity for forgetting something so awful. Like when they accidently walked near the same building undergoing construction. It was going along smoothly, up until the very end.

They had walked around the park (which was suspiciously uneventful), had a snack, and, surprisingly, went to the arcade. Kazuichi was amazingly adept at the games even though he “had only been there once or twice”. It was one of Gundham’s favorite moments to see him so riled up to win a stuffed animal. Spending token after token, they worked together to win tickets, having small competitions with each other along the way. Gundham loved hanging out with him, he lost himself for a while during this time and just enjoyed what he had. After a multitude of games, they eventually earned enough to get the large pink shark but gave it away after seeing a little girl in a light blue dress cry over her lost prize.

“Really?” she sniffled, “You’re giving it to me?”

“Of course! We don’t need it,” Kazuichi smiled. He gave a thumbs-up and displayed rows of sharp teeth. “Besides, I’m already a pink shark!”

Watching Kazuichi give that shark away made Gundham’s heart flutter. His kindness made him give a lovestruck smile, but he felt something was off. Not just the fear of his death, but…something else. It was like something was holding him back, like the energy inside of him was slowly draining. He had no idea why he felt like this at such a happy moment. He brushed it off, thinking that it was just the major stress he was experiencing. As the two laughed, the girl’s mother arrived. Her black dress lightly flowed as she walked, and a confused look appeared on her face as she saw the scene. Though initially cautious of their appearances, she soon thanked both men and was especially shocked when she realized they were students of Hope’s Peak.

“You two go to Hope’s Peak? That’s amazing!” the woman said.

“One day, I wanna go there too!” exclaimed the little girl.

“I look forward to the day when you grow powerful enough to face the trials of the Netherworld!” Gundham declared as Cham-P climbed out of his scarf and rested on his shoulder.

“Woah! A hamster!” the girl beamed, “It’s so cute! Can I pet it, please?”

“Sweetie, I don’t think—” her mother began.

“Fret not, ma’am,” interrupted Gundham. Cham-P sniffed the air, then moved from his shoulder to his bandaged hand. “It’s of no trouble. I only ask that you be cautious when touching him. He is a ferocious demon beast who will not hesitate to use his fangs if you underestimate him.” A somewhat fearful look came upon the girl’s face at hearing his warning.

“He means that you should be gentle so that ya don’t scare him,” Kazuichi helpfully chimed in.

“Oh! OK! I’ll be careful. I promise.” Bringing up a slow hand, the girl brushed the soft fur with her fingers. “It’s so soft and fluffy! He’s so cute!” Gundham grinned with pride, like a father proud of his son, and lightly chuckled. Unbeknownst to him, Kazuichi was amusedly watching the scene, holding in a slight snicker. The girl removed her hand, causing Cham-P to return to the scarf.

“Thank you for letting me pet him!” she said.

“You are very welcome, young one,” Gundham said warmly.

“Well, thank you again for giving my daughter the shark, but we really should be leaving.” She looked to the child and held her hand. “Come on, your dad is waiting for us outside.”

“Do we have to?” she pouted.

“Yes, we do,” she replied as they headed towards the exit. “Don’t worry. We can come back next time.” The girl turned and gave one last look to the Ultimates, waving goodbye.

“Goodbye!” she yelled, “Thank you for the shark!” The men returned the action, shouting their own goodbyes. Kazuichi turned to Gundham with a smile.

“I didn’t know you were so good with kids,” he teased.

“Hmph. Nonsense. I am the embodiment of evil itself! It was the work of Invading Black Dragon Cham-P that captured her soul!”

“Never mind. I take it back. Dude, she looked so freaked out when you told her Cham-P was gonna kill her.”

“I did no such thing!” Gundham yelled.

“Maybe tone down yer speech a bit more. So that I don’t have to translate? Not that I mind but…”

“My language is simply too advanced for your mortal brain to comprehend,” he grumbled.

“Sorry, Hamster-chan. You know I get what yer saying most of the time. Took me a while, though. She’s just a kid. No wonder she didn’t get it.” Looking to the front doors, Kazuichi gestured towards the girl and her mother who were standing at the entrance of the arcade along with a man in a white jacket who was most likely the girl’s father. The three were smiling as the girl eagerly retold the events that happened mere minutes ago. The parents ushered their daughter down the street, so they were walking as she talked. When they were out of sight, Kazuichi refocused his attention onto Gundham. “What a cute family.”

“Yes…They are quite fortunate.” Brief memories of his own family flashed in his mind. The loving angel who was always supporting him and the wicked devil whose name shall not be spoken…

“C’mon. Let’s go,” said Kazuichi. They exited the arcade and walked down the street to nowhere in particular. The noise of cicadas flooded the air, giving the heat an unmistakable sound. “Someday, I want to have a family of my own.”

“…Is that so?” There it was again. That feeling.

“Yeah. I’d love to have my own family. I’d be way better than my dad ever was. I’m not gonna go beating anyone up just ‘cuz I’m pissed.” He nudged the side of Gundham’s arm. “You get it, right? You have all your animals with ya. You’re basically their dad.”

Gundham stopped listening by now. His thoughts still lingered on what Kazuichi said.

_“Someday, I want to have a family of my own.”_

He didn’t know why, but that phrase was stuck in his head. There was no hidden meaning, nothing strange about it. It was a perfectly normal sentence. And…it hurt him a little.

“Tamer of Automatons.” Gundham stopped walking, his eyes to the ground and nose buried in his scarf. Kazuichi stepped so that he was standing in front of him. The breeder moved back some, deciding that it was too close for comfort. There wasn’t anything wrong with the Shark Mechanic, of course not, but rather it was the off feeling he had in the arcade. Again, something that couldn’t be explained.

“Yeah? What’s up?” The mechanic shoved his hands in his pockets.

“May I inquire you about something?” He was curious about what kind of “family” Kazuichi would have. That must be it. It must be. He just wanted to know. So why didn’t the phrase get out of his head? Or the unsettling feeling that came with it?

“Go ahead. Shoot.” He internally winced at the poor choice of words. Numerous deaths have been the result of such things. On instinct, he looked around the street, searching for anything that would cut their conversation off short. Perhaps a bullet, an arrow, a ball, a knife, a pen, stray debris, scissors, or maybe something he hadn’t seen yet. “Hamster-chan? You looking for somethin’?” Eyes back to the mortal, he shook his head.

“Forgive me, I anticipated a foul aura to ambush us.”

“Uhhh…Not completely sure on what that means, but I don’t think anyone’s going to be attacking us here…But anyways, what were ya gonna say?”

“I am curious—”

“Hey. What’s that over there?” Kazuichi pointed behind Gundham. He pivoted back and knitted his non-existent brows, ready for whatever would come their way. Except that there was nothing there. There was nothing except pathetic mortals looking to the sky.

Wait.

He’s seen this before.

Heterochromatic eyes widen. He turns back. A scream rings out between the trees.

It’s too late.

Yet again, the iron beams pierced his chest, splattering blood everywhere.

Not only did the poles come back, one of them scraped Gundham’s cheek. Now, he had a temporary and stinging reminder of how idiotic he was. The weight of the guilt brings him to his knees as he watched the small bits of life leave Kazuichi once more. A dying smile paints the man’s face before he dies from the blood loss.

_“I hope you are enjoying reality! Know that you are a weak, pitiful fool.”_

Gundham was crying again. He feels the tears run over the slash on his cheek, causing a slight burning around the wound. To put it frankly, he felt like shit. He hears a light step approaching him. Looking up, he sees the black cat and chooses to ignore it. His own fist connects with the top of his head. It connects a second time. A third time. By the fifth time, his skull was starting to hurt. It’s still not a dream.

“I despise this…” he chokes through tears, “H-how could I a-allow this to happen again?” He takes the red soaked beanie from the pink head and holds it close to his heart. He lied down on his back, ignoring the heat of the sidewalk, and shut his eyes. He muttered a strained curse while his grasp on the world vanished. “Shit…”

***

Gundham loved family. He thought there was no greater bond than being with the ones you hold dear. His mother was a holy angel who always loved and encouraged him through everything. And Gundham loved her back tenfold. Even past the horrible cooking that instilled poison into his veins, she was a saint, a divine being. While his father…was a different story. He never remembered much about his father, only that he hurt them in unspeakable ways. The angel would silently weep and put on a strong persona, but Gundham knew this was only a front.

The relief he felt when he realized the devil permanently left their realm was one that he wouldn’t forget. He was only a young child at the time, but he witnessed enough to carry those memories to the future. The angel had a face of pure happiness when the devil was gone, something he remembered not seeing for a long time. They were happy together and as time passed, he grew stronger than the devil. No one would ever hurt the angel again.

Gundham wanted to live a peaceful life with his Devas, their offspring, and his mother. Now, there was someone else he wanted to share his life with. He couldn’t blame him for wanting a nice family, Kazuichi never really had one himself. Gundham knew very well about his home situation and felt the need to protect him too.

_‘A family. He wishes to live in his own tribe.’_

_“What is your stance on siring descendants to continue your bloodline?” Gundham asked. He recalled overhearing how the mechanic felt about children, but he wanted to make sure. Kazuichi shot him a confused look._

_“What? That came outta nowhere.” He casually put his hands behind his head. “But having kids would be really cool…” His mouth continued to hang open, as if he wanted to say something else but decided against it. Suddenly, an aggressive force pushed them both to the ground. Gundham sees a man dressed in all black wearing a dark, full head mask. The man lunges towards Kazuichi, sinking a blade into his stomach. He’s about to kill Gundham too, but the sight of the officer in pursuit of him makes him change his mind. He tries to run away, but he trips over the same black cat._

_Death by a passing psychopath._

_‘He desires to have offspring.’_

_The water shimmered under the sun, brightening the city scenery with a beautiful splash of deep blue. The Ultimates leaned against the bridge railing, admiring the view while taking in the faint breeze and fresh scent. The Devas kept on alert, watching, and waiting for anybody that might kill._

_“I never really stopped to look here,” Kazuichi admits, “I never saw a reason for it.”_

_“Neither have I, mortal.”_

_“I bet it would look even better when the sun sets.”_

_“On the contrary, I believe the tide would look its best when under the watchful eye of Selene.”_

_“The moon?” He looks up to the sky, like he would see the moon if he searched hard enough. “Why the moon?”_

_“Of course, you would not understand a being as dark as I. The moon is a divine symbol of the night, providing a ghostly glow among the nocturnal. It is a beacon to the beasts who creep in the darkest shadows.”_

_“Really? You’ve gotta show me it sometime.”_

_“Me?” Gundham crossed his arms and turned away. His cheeks flushed at the mention of a late-night rendezvous. “You’re more than capable of fending for yourself, Tamer of Automatons. If you continue to use me as a crutch, you will never reach your full potential.”_

_“Cut the crap, Gundy,” he groaned. “I just want to hang out. It’s no fun being alone.” Gathering his thoughts, he struck a pose and gave his reply._

_“Kehehehehe…Very well! I shall accept your offer! May we trek into the depths of hell and seize victory for the Tanaka Empire!”_

_“That’s great, man. I can’t wait to—huh?" The railing he was leaning on gave in and snapped, causing the man to tumble into the river below. Gundham looked over the edge, frantically searching for him when he saw a glimpse of pink hair. He ran down under the bridge as fast as he could._

_“Kazuichi!” he yelled. A bright colored head popped up from under the water. Kazuichi reached a hand up and waved, signaling his location. He began to tread, slowly making his way to land._

_“I’m over here! Don’t worry! I can swi-” The head was abruptly pulled under the surface. Bubbles rose from where Kazuichi was last seen._

_“Kazuichi?” To his terror, nothing came back up. “Kazuichi!” Arms quickly flew up from below the water, struggling to get away from whatever was under there. He could barely see Kazuichi trying to open his mouth to call for help between his coughs and unintentional gulps of water. The man was sinking faster by the second._

_Gundham couldn’t move. His willpower wasn’t enough. He wanted to jump in, swim to his crush and set him free. He could save him and end this cursed loop. He had the chance, the opportunity._

_If only he knew how to swim._

_Going into the water would’ve been like throwing his own life away; suicide. But now Kazuichi was dead once more. Maybe he should’ve taken that chance. For him._

_He really hated that loop. He never despised himself more for being weak against water-types, for being a coward._

_Death by drowning._

_‘I can’t always be there for him.’_

_Rows of musty books covered the shelves; some having been untouched for years. The quiet was a nice change of pace, at least here it would be easier to see what was coming. They sat at a table in the far back, away from prying eyes. In front of them sat a small stack of technical books about machines and animals. To the side was a pile of comic books that have already been combed through._

_“So, why are we here again?” questioned Kazuichi. He had just finished reading the last page of his comic and was patiently watching his friend scan through his own book._

_“This realm harbors a tome that contains an ancient ritual that I would like to bear witness.” That was a lie. Sure, he did sense a spellbook nearby, but that wasn’t the point. The point was to keep that lovely, pink headed idiot alive. A library might do the trick. “Or are you so daft you don’t recognize the endless amounts of knowledge hidden within this domain?” Gundham knew the answer to this. It was obvious that Kazuichi wasn’t a heavy reader, or much of a reader at all._

_“Uh-huh. Whatever.” His hand lazily picked up a manual on engines from the stack. Skimming through it, he found something that caught his eye. “Woah! Check this out!” Shoving the picture in his face, a mildly irritating Gundham glanced up to see what he was so excited about._

_“It’s a tank.” In all honesty, he wasn’t that interested. To him, it might as well have been foreign gibberish. Kazuichi reeled back into his seat and let out an exasperated sigh._

_“No shit, Sherlock.” He placed on the book on the table and landed a finger on the page. “Look, it’s a blueprint of one of the newest Novoselic tanks!” The man went on about how those tanks were among the most advanced in the world, talking about the engines, the weapon systems, defenses, all the way down to the nitty-gritty details. His eyes sparkled like a child, his face brightening with every word uttered. “I really want to disassemble one! I’d never wanna leave! It’d be like heaven on Earth…”_

_“If you are so eager, simply ask the She-Cat if you may visit her realm.” He placed his book down, finding the cute mechanic in front of him much more interesting._

_“Oh! That reminds me. I should totally do that! Sonia won’t mind if I take apart a tank, right?” Kazuichi was drooling over the thought. “I bet Novoselic is great! The next time Sonia goes back, I’m totally gonna hitch a ride!”_

_“You fiend. Have you forgotten about your curse? Before you even arrive, you’ll have been weakened to the point where a newborn can easily defeat you.” His face fell as he calmed down. Remembering his motion sickness, Kazuichi looked a lot less excited now._

_“Well, I guess.” Pointing a finger at Gundham, a smile grew on his face as he regained his vigor. “But I’m still gonna go anyways! What kinda mechanic would I be if I didn’t check out that amazing engine! It’s like if you had to go to the jungle or whatever to find a new breed of animal.”_

_“Hmph…I suppose you are correct. We must travel our own paths if we hope to advance our skills…” He was right. Everyone was going to leave eventually. It was the will of causality that guided them. It wasn’t like everyone could stay together, they had their own talents and responsibilities. Some of their classmates were destined to share their paths with others, such as Hajime and Nagito and Fuyuhiko and Peko. Then there were some who were going to make it work. Like Mikan and Ibuki. They promised to stay together. Between Mikan’s nursing duties and Ibuki and her music, they said they’ll figure it out. And Mondo and Taka. Inseparable forces who were “bros to the end.”_

_Then there were people like him. Alone by choice, cast out from society by mortals who fear his power. Gundham wasn’t entirely sure on what to do after graduating. He’ll most likely continue his magical beast synthesis and keep up to date on his apprentices. And Kazuichi was going on his own path. He was going to make a name for himself as the greatest mechanic, building and fixing things. They were going to go their separate ways. Sure, keeping in touch won’t be hard. Being close allies made that easy. But the idea of him leaving was something Gundham didn’t like. Was he being selfish? Yes. Did he care? No._

_“Hey, Gundham,” said Kazuichi. His nose perked up, sniffing the air like a dog. “Do you smell that?” Gundham took a deep breath, finding the faint hint of—._

_“FIRE!!” a woman shrieked. Blaring alarms rang throughout the building while red lights flashed on and off. The men shot up from their seats, suddenly aware of the flames quickly approaching them from the corner of their eyes. Gundham grabbed Kazuichi’s hand and dashed to the nearest emergency exit. The fire was spreading at an unnatural pace, and soon the shelves around them were falling and crumbling to the floor. They had nearly arrived at the door when it was hidden by the falling ceiling._

_“Shit!” cursed Kazuichi. “How does-*cough*-fire spread so fucking-*cough*-fast anyways?!” The smoke was stacking, fogging up the area with a dark gray. He had to think. Fast. Gundham surveyed the library, discovering a straight shot to the main entrance of the building. The path was surrounded by burning bookshelves and charred fragments, but it wasn’t like they had much of a choice. Bracing himself, Gundham sprinted towards the doors, dragging Kazuichi behind him._

_It was hell. The ceiling crackled and rumbled above them as they ran. Pieces of it fell to the ground with a loud thud, the lights crashed and shattered into tiny shards everywhere. Overwhelming colors of bright red, orange, and yellow were the only things you could see in the haze. But Gundham could see the light of day in the distance, just past that door. He was so close. Just a little bit farther…_

_A chuck of the ceiling slammed right in front of them, causing Gundham to stop and flinch back. He looked to Kazuichi. The man didn’t appear nearly at panicked as he thought, but this wasn’t the time for that. Pushing aside his observation, he reached out to grab his hand, but his attempt was thwarted when the mechanic shoved him to the side._

_His eyes widen when he saw a blur of bright orange and black fall from the ceiling, burying Kazuichi under a pile of burning rubble. The mountain of debris only grew larger and larger. Everything was falling apart. The heat laughed at him again, confirming the death. Gundham felt himself growing lightheaded, the combination of the smoke and the heat making him slip into darkness faster than before._

_Death by burning wreckage._

_‘He’ll leave me eventually.’_

_“How the hell did you talk me into this?” Kazuichi groaned. He was leaning forward with a hand on the station wall, still feeling the effects from their recent hyperloop ride. They went to a neighboring city at Gundham’s insistence, saying that they could always get the parts later. Another lie, but it was a new opportunity to save him. Even though the motion sickness was making the mechanic suffer, if Gundham could keep him alive, it would all be worth it._

_“Do you require anything to ease your pain?”_

_“No, just let me…ugh…ride this out.” He stood up, forcing a smile to his face. “Well, we’re here anyways. Might as well look around.”_

_And that’s what they did. They spent the time wandering the streets, looking through store windows, finding new places to eat, relaxing, and just enjoying their company and new scenery. And best of all, Kazuichi lived the longest he ever did so far, which Gundham thought was an accomplishment in itself. Still, it wasn’t enough. He had to keep trying._

_They soon ended up strolling through a mall complex with Kazuichi licking the soft ice cream Gundham bought for him. Thankfully, during the few hours there, nothing out of the ordinary happened._

_“You’re gonna end up spoiling me if you keep buying me stuff,” said Kazuichi. “Next thing ya know, you’re gonna end up giving me 50 jugs of soda.”_

_“How appalling! With your immense greed for sugar, it’s a miracle your fangs have not yet withered away.”_

_“What can I say? Put me in a room with an engine and some soda and I’ll be happy for hours.” A small laugh broke out between the sharp teeth._

_“Clearly, you are incapable of fending for yourself,” Gundham disapprovingly smirked. Kazuichi took a bite from his ice cream cone and aggressively shook his head._

_“Nuh-uh. That’s not true.”_

_“I pity the fool whose fate is to watch over you in the late hours of the night and day.” That statement was supposed to be more as a joke, but deep down, Gundham wanted to be that pitiful fool._

_“Hah! Yeah, it’ll suck to be them. But don’t worry your emo head about it, Hamster-chan. If they care about me as half as much as you do, I’ll be all set…” He quickly popped the last bit of cone in his mouth and headed towards the exit. “C’mon, let’s leave this place. Nothing much to do here.” Gundham followed him, nudging his scarf up when he realized what Kazuichi meant by his words._

_He hadn’t been smothering him, right? He might’ve gotten a bit overprotective because of the deaths, but it wasn’t too bad. At least, he didn’t think so. But it’s not even been half a day. He couldn’t be talking about before this loop thing…right? It’s normal to care about your friends, especially one who meant so much to him._

_Walking down the sidewalk, Gundham’s mind floated to the pitiful fool who will end up with his crush. His heart sank like a rock at the thought. Who was he kidding? Kazuichi would never love someone like him. It was impossible. He was nothing like him. Gundham felt his eyes water and looked to the side, hiding his sadness. The mortal was going to find someone else who loves him. The best he could do was wish for his happiness, that he could find someone who will love him as much as he did. No…no one will be able to love him as much as he did._

_Gundham was in such a depressed daze he didn’t notice the metal shrapnel flying right towards them. What he did notice, however, was Kazuichi being skewered all over his body. Pointed ends poked holes of red, causing blood to slowly leak. A short distance away, a specialized delivery truck had crashed into a garbage truck, sending trash and metal everywhere. Kazuichi was on his feet for only a few seconds before he fell backwards in a pool of blood. The black cat chose that moment to walk in from the side. It sat near the body, staring at heterochromatic eyes. The cat yawned as the heat mocked him. They were both mocking him._

_Death by sharp metal._

_‘He will fall in love with another.’_

***

_‘I am alright with this.’_

Death by live wire electrocution.

_‘Being his ally is more than enough.’_

Death by telephone pole.

_‘I am fortunate that he considers me his ally.’_

Death by falling off a roof. Death by a falling sign.

_‘He will continue his life without me.’_

Death by a mugger. Death by a flying axe.

_‘He’ll meet the one who is destined to share his path.’_

Death by strangulation. Death by slit throat. Death by suffocation.

_‘He will be bonded and sire children.’_

Death by decapitation. Death by impaling. Death by excavator.

_‘If he is satisfied, I am as well.’_

Death…Death…Death…Death…

_‘It is the will of causality. I shall accept this.’_

Death… Death…Death…Death…

_‘I shall accept this.’_

Death. Death. Death. Death. Death. Death.

_‘I will accept this.’_

Death. Death. Death. Death. Death. Death. Death. Death. Death. Death. Death. Death.

_‘…’_

Death. Death. Death. Death. Death. Death. Death. Death. Death. Death. Death. Death. Death. Death. Death. Death…

_‘I must accept this.’_

…

…

…

“I think I’m bi,” blurted Kazuichi. Gundham glanced up from his smoothie and did a double take. He choked on his drink and had a small, violent coughing fit before clearing his throat.

“Pardon?” This time, they decided to go to a smoothie bar and were currently sitting at an outside table.

“I think I’m bi,” he repeated albeit less confidently. His face flushed pink as he awkwardly sucked down more of his smoothie through a straw. Not making eye contact, he anxiously sat, waiting for Gundham’s response.

“I…” Gundham was at a loss for words, which didn’t happen very often. He spent so much time killing himself over that idiot, spent who knows how many loops destroying himself bit by bit because thought his emotions doomed him from the start. His thoughts during this entire loop were lost in the memories of the previous instances, trying to convince himself that it would never work. And now? Maybe he had a chance. “…admire your courage, Tamer of Automatons. I am honored you’ve chosen to divulge this to me.”

“R-really?” He slowly looked back up, visibly relaxing and letting out a sigh.

“Yes…and I believe I must tell you something as well.” Moving his hand, Gundham raised his scarf to his nose. “I am what you mortals call, ‘a bisexual with a male lean.’” It was now Kazuichi’s turn to do a double take.

“W-what? H-how did I not know that?”

“You didn’t ask,” Gundham said bluntly. In the past, he predicted he would have a self-righteous smug feeling when he said that, fitting of the Overlord of Ice, but instead he felt guilty for keeping it for so long, especially from his closest ally.

“Jesus. You’re such an asshole,” he scoffed. “But I’m glad you told me.” He began to fidget with his braid, nervously twisting it back and forth. “And…I’ve thought about this a lot. For a while, too. I talked about it with Hajime and I think I’m bi with a fem lean…” He trailed off at the last few words and looked to the side. It seemed he was hesitant about something, but Gundham wasn’t sure what.

“Do not force yourself to speak what you may regret,” he advised to ease his crush.

“It’s just…” Tears started to well up in pink eyes. “I w-was scared…” He paused. “M-my stupid a-asshole of a dad…A-and I-I w-wasn’t s-sure if…” Gundham sat up and walked over to his friend. He shakily wrapped his arms around the mechanic’s body and gently granted him the much-needed comfort. They both said nothing, the only sounds being the soft sobs of Kazuichi and the song of the cicadas. In his shoulder, Gundham felt the Shark Mechanic smile against his clothes. “T-thanks…”

The pink haired man didn’t question why his friend was suddenly so physical, he only hugged back. In the loops, Gundham had hundreds of chances to initiate a hug, but never did so out of respect for his friend. But he could tell he needed a hug right now, and Gundham needed it just as much as he did.

Kazuichi didn’t realize it, but Gundham was crying a little too. However, it wasn’t out of sadness or pain, but it was of joy and relief. For the first time in a millennium, for the first time since the cursed days started repeating, he felt happy. A smile creeped itself along the breeder’s face as he hugged tighter. If he had the choice, he would never let go. He silently released the pent-up anguish and suffering he had been holding in for so long.

Without warning, an intense yet muffled cough rang out from under him. Kazuichi moved back, putting a hand to his chest and a fist to his mouth. The man was coughing like there was no tomorrow. He fell out of his chair, doubling over in pain with the coughs twice as bad as before. Gundham tried to ask what’s wrong, but he couldn’t get a word in. It wasn’t like Kazuichi could respond anyways.

He had no idea what caused this death or how to stop it, and, in the end, within the minute, Kazuichi lay motionless under the table. Gundham stared at the corpse while the Devas climbed out onto his palms.

“I no longer require myself to repudiate,” he sadly smiled to his Devas, “That fiend decimated my defenses, truly worthy of a being as powerful as I…” He turned to the half-drunk smoothies resting on the table. “Something he consumed, perhaps? A silent toxin being the bane of unsuspecting prey…” If Gundham cared to listen a little bit closer, he would’ve noticed that behind the scenes in the store, a man was quietly cursing out for giving a drink to the wrong person. Tears started to fall onto the pavement, dampening it as the breeder thought about what came next.

After this, the day was going to reset again. The question he had on his mind was: Would Kazuichi still remember what he said? Gundham decided against hoping for that since the Sharp-Toothed mortal showed no signs of remembering his past deaths or their past misadventures. Even so, Gundham loved him regardless. He would love him for the rest of his eternal life. And even if Kazuichi wouldn’t remember, even if they were destined to walk different paths, the Dark Lord still had to save him first. And if there was a chance, even the smallest, tiniest chance that they would end up together after all this…

Gundham gave a half-hearted smile as tears streamed down his face. And while the black cat walked into his view, he realized something: He was always going to love Kazuichi, no matter what. And he was going to save him, no matter the cost. Hopping onto the table, the feline cautiously sniffed the abandoned smoothies, as if reaffirming its suspicions. It soon leaped away, running back into the haze of summer. Gundham could feel himself growing faint, his senses beginning to leave him. He nonchalantly sat on the ground, preparing for the day to reset, preparing for one more chance to save him with the Devas by his side.

With a final breath, he fell to live through another loop…and another…and another…

***

Endless times Gundham has seen that overheated haze. Countlessly the laughing and mocking repeating over and over again through the days. He understood long ago that the cycle’s end is never going to be clear, that Kazuichi had been dying for months or maybe years. The Devas confirmed that they were hundreds of loops in, hundreds of deaths, broken bones, bruises, and blood.

He was tired. He was so, so exhausted from trying to save him. But he kept on trying. He kept on trying to change the ending of the story, of the same stupid, cliched story that kept repeating with the same gruesome ending. And that’s when he remembered something.

_‘Everything must eventually come to an end. All tales contain an ending.’_

_‘There must be only one ending. An ending where he lives.’_

_‘Beyond the hellish heat, it must exist.’_

“Hey!” yelled Kazuichi, “Come back!” He sprang up from his seat, chasing the cat to the road. Gundham knew what was going to happen next, he played it in his head on repeat. He wasn’t going to regret this. There can only be one ending, an ending where he lives. His mind had already been made up. Gundham took the Devas out from his scarf, gently setting them down onto the bench.

“Forgive me, my Four Dark Devas of Destruction,” he quickly whispered to them. They all knew what would come next, yet they didn’t argue. However, there was a glimpse of sadness in their eyes that Gundham almost missed in his hurry.

Running as fast as he could, he nearly caught up to Kazuichi. Time seemed to slow down as the mechanic stepped onto the street. Pink eyes looked back at him, paired with a lively smile, completely unaware of the truck closing in. Gundham moved a bit faster, moving just a little bit closer until he was within arm’s length.

Suddenly, reaching out, Gundham grabbed Kazuichi by the collar of his shirt and pulled him back to the sidewalk. Just as he did that, he jumped, replacing the pink haired man on the street. Memories of the previous loops flashed through his mind like some kind of sick show. But then, he remembered when they weren’t stuck inside the summer haze, when they were happy together, hanging out and enjoying themselves whether it was with beast or machine. What he wouldn’t give to have those days again. In the corner of his eye, Gundham saw the black cat gazing at him once more from the side. He had grown to dislike that cat, and with a silent smile, he said something that he never thought he would ever say to such a being, the summer noises drowning it out into nothingness.

“Curse you, beast.”

At that moment, the truck slammed into him, breaking him to bits. Blood was sprayed and dripped everywhere as Gundham nearly dodged a truck. Terrified eyes of unnatural pink froze at the scene of the breeder’s twisted body. Red painted around the truck and the sidewalk. The choking smell of hair and blood make Kazuichi stagger back as he held a horrified hand to his mouth. He breathes in a gulp of air, eyes stuck on the dying body of his friend like a hazy reflection of the day. Gundham knows Kazuichi is petrified, that tears are welling up in his eyes as his friend is leaving this world, he doesn’t care. He was only a temporary visitor or this realm, anyways.

But he hasn’t heard that praiseful heat laugh. He hasn’t heard it say, _“Feel the goddess of rightful retribution!!”_ or _“This is reality!”_

There was no mocking. No laughing. No cackling. No ridiculing. No scorning. No nothing.

If it did laugh, then it would be a normal summer day. A normal summer day where his love would die. A normal summer day where Gundham would die a little inside with each passing moment. But it didn’t laugh.

Gundham could feel his life slipping away like the scorching haze, consciousness leaving him as he saw Kazuichi as a neon colored blur in the heat. His love was alive, and that was enough. He took a chance, and it worked. He might’ve left his allies behind, but maybe it was worth it. And so maybe this summer day has finally gone away. And with a dying thought, the hope that he had finally reached the true ending continued on.

_‘Perhaps…it all…ends…today…’_

***

The song of cicadas buzzed throughout the park, creating a familiar atmosphere that anyone would recognize as summer, the blazing sun sending its rays to the people insane enough to go outside.

Kazuichi opened his eyes, recognizing the sight around him. He pulled his phone out from his pocket as the black cat rested on his lap. His eyes looked to his crush, Gundham Tanaka, who was somehow not dying from heat stroke in his outfit. The breeder was sitting on the bench next to him with his legs crossed and his Four Devas of Destruction along his arms, mumbling something about who knows what. A lifeless feeling overcame the mechanic at the sight, nearly causing his eyes to grow teary. Memories of blood and pale, twisted limbs in the street pass through his mind. His fingers turned the phone on, displaying the date as August 14th. He set the phone back in his pocket, letting out a soft sigh as he stared at the shiny dark fur under him.

“Guess I failed again…” Kazuichi muttered as he cradled a black cat.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hgggnnn I really don't like how I wrote that coming out scene but I already rewrote it like 3 times and this was the best I could do. So if you don't like it don't worry because I don't like it either hgggnnnn Everything feels so OOC and everything is weirddddd hgggnnnn  
> Also sorry I took so long. This chapter was longer than I thought, I had major writers block, and school sucks
> 
> By the way, that family is gonna make another small appearance in the next chapter.
> 
> So this is the end of the Kagerou Daze part woohoo. That was a pain. Making up random deaths was harder than I thought. Writing in Gundham's perspective was a pain so I kinda sorta really don't wanna do that again. And I think I changed my headcannon. I think Gundham's either pan or gay....maybe....


	5. Sonia's State of the World

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An untold set of eyes under the gaze of the steaming, blazing heat.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is where I really make things up.  
> Here's the song she hums if you're interested in that: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6K9gv487BQ

Sonia was ecstatic. She wasn’t entirely sure what she was getting into, but that’s what made it fun. As the summer light filtered through her window, a single pair of headphones lay on her bed as well as a faded sheet of paper. The headphones had yellow-green ear cups that each had a black border and two black accents. She had just recently returned to Japan from Novoselic, wanting to spend most of the summer with her classmates. Though she had many responsibilities as a princess, her parents knew how much Sonia wanted to be with her friends and be a normal girl.

A few days ago, she stumbled upon the set of headphones in a knick-knacks shop. Looking back on it now, maybe it wasn’t the best idea to buy them from such a shifty man, but it was so tempting, and the tale he told was even greater. Plus, if she could really go there safely and return, it would be a once in a lifetime opportunity. Pacing back and forth in her room, she carefully thought over the instructions in her head.

_‘Put on the headphones and hum the tune on the paper. By the time the song is done, you will have entered the Kagerou Daze. The headphones can only be used once every hour on August 15th. After that, they are like any other old set of headphones. To exit the Daze, you simply need to take the headphones off but not before you open your eyes.’_

She glanced to her clock.

_‘Sunday, August 15th at 12:23 PM.’_

The princess already knew about the legends and myths the Kagerou Daze. Hell, there was even a children’s book about it. It was just too fascinating not to read about. The story of how a mysterious being who fell in love with a human created a never-ending loop to be with her family forever. However, there was some who believed that the tale wasn’t as happy as it seemed to be. Some speculate that any living creature who dies on August 15th was doomed to the Kagerou Daze, to forever be stuck there in an endless loop.

Some believe that the mysterious being left her family behind to enter the Daze alone, some say that the humans were overcome by fear and killed her family then afterwards, the being disappeared from the world, seeing that there was no place for her there. The story is hundreds of years old, and some say that the Daze adapts to the emotions of the victims, forming the world around them based on who they are and what they feel.

Even so, there was no one who confirmed this. When someone dies, they don’t exactly come back to life to tell the tale. However, another part of the myth said that there was a way to leave the Daze, but it was lost in the misspoken translations and foggy retellings. Each person who told the legend was always different than the next. And those who claimed they did enter the Daze, no one believed.

Despite all this, Sonia still wanted to try. It was only a legend, after all, and there was nothing in that legend about a pair of headphones. If she didn’t enter the Kagerou Daze, then there would be no harm done, she would carry on with life as normal. And if she did…then she would have quite the story to tell, even if there was a chance no one would believe her. Sonia looked to the clock again, seeing the minute hand tick to 12:25.

“All right,” she said to herself. She took a deep breath while she smoothed her green and white dress down and sat on the bed, then slipped the headphones on. Clutching the paper in her hands, she scanned the music notes. In all, the melody she had to hum was about three minutes long. “If this succeeds, I will be in the Daze at 12:28.” And with that, she began to hum.

It was a nice song, but the lyrics were lost to the sands of time. So, Sonia could only take in the upbeat and fast paced tune. She had no idea what the song was about or what it was called, but she hoped it was something nice. She watched the clock as she hummed and when it struck 12:27, she felt herself grow sleepy. Black spots started to cloud her vision as the hands blurred away. The time ticked down, the last thing she heard being the sound her head hitting the bed and the buzzing of the summer cicadas.

***

It was hot, really hot. Sonia could feel the heat on her head, the sun shining down and warming her body in the summer glow. She struggled to open her eyes against the light, but when she did, she found herself standing in the middle of a sidewalk alone, still wearing the headphones.

“This is not my room…” she mumbled. The world around her was dyed in shades of red and pale blue along with white and black. Aside from that, it looked exactly like the city near Hope’s Peak Academy. Buildings surrounded her as she looked around, mind processing the colors she was seeing. “Then…I am in the Daze! However, this is odd…I read that the Daze looks no different than the real world. Perhaps it is because I do not belong here…” Sonia moved her legs, letting them take her to nowhere in particular. There was nothing much to see, the streets were mostly deserted save for the few black birds that sat to the sides. She made her way through the city, sight-seeing and taking in the wonder of the heat. It was like walking in the city on a hot summer day, except the city only had the colors of red, pale blue, white, and black. Soon after, at the end of a corner, she saw a lone truck barreling down the street at high speed. Sonia thought little of it but did think it was odd that it suddenly came out of nowhere. And as the truck left her sight, she heard a deep voice cry out.

“KAZUICHI!”

…

…What?

An alarm kicked into her head. That voice sounded like Gundham’s, but there was no way he could be here, right? And he cried out for Kazuichi, he couldn’t be here too, right? Sonia bolted, quickly turning the corner as the horns of the truck hung in the air. What see saw, she didn’t want to believe. Kazuichi was lying on the street, covered in a mess of blood, all twisted and bent while Gundham towered over him on the sidewalk. Red was splattered everywhere, the breeder frozen in shock with a hand over his mouth.

Sonia stopped dead in her tracks, momentarily unable to accept the situation. Kazuichi…was dead? And Gundham…just saw his crush die. But this wasn’t the time, maybe he was still alive. Maybe there was still a heart beating under the haze, within that broken body dressed in neon. She ran towards them in a desperate hurry, watching as Gundham slowly descended into anguish and collapsed on the ground.

“Gundham!” she yelled, “Kazuichi!” She felt her heart shatter at the sight. Her two closest friends, one of them close to death and the other dying on the inside. But as she approached the scene, it was like a mental wall slammed into her face, forbidding her to move any further. And along with that wall, came darkness in her sight. She couldn’t see anything but inky blackness in all directions. Just then, Sonia felt her eyelids grow heavy and her stance stagger. Swallowed by the dark shadows, she blinked.

***

Opening her eyes again, Sonia found herself right back at the beginning where she first entered the Daze. She took a sharp breath, heaving in and out like her life depended on it. A small bead of sweat fell down her forehead, like she had just woken up from a nightmare.

_‘It cannot be…Gundham and Kazuichi! Are they stuck in the Daze?’_

“No, no! It is not possible!” she said aloud, “This must be a dream. It has to be!” She sprinted towards the street she last saw them at, hoping they would not be there. Ignoring the heat and the countless thoughts running through her mind, she tried her best to remember the route she took. To her relief, when she arrived, they were nowhere in sight. “Yes- _*pant*_ -they are not here.”

In the distance, a ripping scream proved her otherwise. Her head snapped back to the source of the noise, which sounded a lot like―

“Gundham!” Her legs moved on their own, going full speed towards the yell that filled the spaces between the trees. She dashed down the empty sidewalk, soon coming across the sight of a dozen black poles sticking out of the ground. And at the bottom, chest pierced and blood pooling everywhere, was Gundham. Standing next to the beams was Kazuichi with tears streaking down his face and hands stiffly gripped on his beanie. His face was horrified, his figure trembled all over as he saw Gundham die right in front of him.

“Shit! Fuck! Nonononono! Not again!” he shrieked. He frantically turned around, eyes pleading and distressed. “Why aren’t you helping him!? Please!” This confused Sonia. There was no one there except for them. At least, that’s what she could see.

“Kazuichi!” Sonia cried, “I am here!” But her words fell upon deaf ears, Kazuichi ignored her, and instead maneuvered his way past the poles to his friend. “Kazuichi! Gundham!” She reached out a hand but was stopped by that mental wall, freezing her in place. The pink-haired man slowly fell to the ground as Sonia’s world darkened around her. She blinked.

***

Waking up again at the same spot as before, Sonia struggled to keep herself upright. Her blue eyes started to water, each breath shaky and legs feeling like they could give in at any moment.

“Gundham…Kazuichi…Dead…” She shook her head, trying to regain some sense of reality. “No! No. Maybe…they are hallucinations. The Daze does manipulate emotions, after all…” Sonia hung onto that hope, the hope that what she saw wasn’t real, because in a place like this, sometimes that was all you can do. Running to the same place, she kept on looking for her friends. There wasn’t much to go on, since it’s not like they left a trail signaling where they traveled. But she kept searching anyways, holding onto the hope that they weren’t actually there.

Her hope was crushed when she saw Gundham tumble down the stairs in the distance, each thud echoing and bones cracking until it reached the bottom. His head bloodied and face lifeless as Kazuichi witnessed it all.

“No! No!! NOOO!!!” Kazuichi screamed. “Why!? Th-this can’t be real!” Sonia didn’t know what to think, but she now knew that there was no denying it: Those two idiots were stuck in the Daze.

“Kazuichi!” yelled Sonia, “Can you hear me?!” Once again, no response. She took a hesitant step forward and, just as she expected, the mental wall blocked her path. Swallowed by the black mess engulfing her, Sonia took a last look at her friends, the pale corpse lying still as the night and the mechanic dropping to the ground. She blinked.

***

“Jesus!” Sonia exclaimed somewhat awkwardly, “What the actual fuck?!” A few moments later, she heaved out a heavy sigh. She took in a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down. “No. I must be calm. I cannot help them if I am blinded by emotions.” Suddenly, her face lit up as she remembered what the man told her, body feeling light as a feather as she realized. “If I exit the Daze, then perhaps I can get them help!” Bringing a hand to her ears, she gave a tug on the headphones. But to her surprise, they didn’t come off. She tugged again, this time more aggressively. “Why are they not coming off?!”

Sonia continued to pull at the headphones, each motion bringing her a sharp pain. It felt like the headphones were actually a part of her, like she was just yanking on her ears over and over. Soon enough, her body felt heavier, like a weight was unexpectedly put on her shoulders. However, it wasn’t just the headphones making her this way. Sonia could see the darkness coming back again as she struggled to get the headphones off.

“Wa-wait!” she said as her world descended deeper into black. “Please! Did one of them die again? Please! Wait!” Her cries were meaningless. Tears welled up in her eyes from both the pain and the sadness. And against her own will, she blinked.

***

“That son-of-a-bitch!” the princess clumsily called, “That damn fucker lied to me!” Sonia stomped on the ground, releasing some of her anger and the still stinging pain of her ears. “Shit! Bastard! Dumbass…! Fuck…” Seconds later, she fell to the ground in a soft sob, choking back her panic and tears. “H-how could I have been so stupid…?!” She turned her head up, searching for some kind of sign that she wasn’t a fool. But looking up to the pale blue sky, something within her stirred.

Standing back up, she quickly wiped her eyes and felt something her chest that fueled her with vigor. “No! I am Sonia Nevermind! Princess of Novoselic and a student of Hope’s Peak Academy! I am not some woman that is easily defeated! I will not let this get in my way!” she declared to the Daze as if it could hear her. She started to make her way towards the park. It seemed like a nice place to think, much better than standing out under the summer sun. As she walked, Sonia carefully pondered the situation.

_‘If this is the Kagerou Daze, then they are stuck in an infinite time loop. And…Gundham and Kazuichi must have died somehow. And why can I see them? I suppose it makes sense for them not to see me. I did not come here by conventional means, after all. And that man who sold me the headphones…why did he lie? Did he know that this would happen? But he did not lie about everything else. What did he mean by the last part, anyways? To open my—’_

A sharp meow interrupted her thoughts just as she closed in on the park. Sitting right in front of her was a small black cat, eyes green and staring straight at her.

“Oh! Hello. What is a creature like you doing here?” The cat got up and cautiously walked towards her. Deeming she was safe, it rubbed against her leg. Sonia crouched down, bringing a gentle hand out for the cat to sniff. The feline did so without hesitation and allowed the princess to pet it. “Hm…Are you also trapped here? But…you can see me, so I do not think that is correct…” Closing its eyes, the cat purred and leaned into the touch. “I think Gundham would like you. But then again, it is difficult for Gundham to not like a beast.” She slowly stood up, causing the cat to back away. “Do not be alarmed,” she reassured it. Despite this, the cat ran off into the other direction. Letting out a sigh, Sonia made her way to a shaded bench in the park, giving herself a chance to relax.

 _‘I hope they are doing alright.’_ The darkness hadn’t come yet, so she assumed they were safe for now. _‘I can’t imagine how they must be feeling…’_ She thought back to when they were back in the classroom, when they weren’t stuck in this hellhole, and how Gundham would steal little glances at Kazuichi while they were waiting for Miss Yukizome to start class.

It was frustrating to see Gundham being head over heels for the mechanic and yet still deny it with a straight face. She had given him some space to think the week before, but she didn’t know if it was a good decision. Gundham wasn’t the best with figuring out his feelings, the man broke out in a cold sweat when Sonia first mentioned the idea of him having a crush. It was tempting to play matchmaker, but Kazuichi…still had to figure things out. She remembered when Hajime mentioned to her that Kazuichi was questioning his sexuality and figuring out who he was. Even though they were “soul friends”, Hajime was getting sick of hearing the mechanic ramble on about the breeder and was more than happy to hear that Gundham returned his feelings. It was going to take time, sure, but it was going to happen…eventually.

 _‘They must be in so much pain…to see each other die again and again…’_ The park was quiet aside from the chirping cicadas and flaps of birds. _‘They do not know about the Daze, so they cannot save themselves.’_

“Is it possible for me to save them?” she wondered aloud, “I cannot leave this place just yet, so I must at least try.” Sonia looked up to the sky, observing the clouds gently flying across the pale blue. Creeping up on her feet, however, was a familiar inky blackness. This time, Sonia waited for the darkness to engulf her. She blinked on her own.

***

Sonia’s body moved like a machine. She had seen her friends die at least a hundred times, but she still kept going, motivated by gathering up the bits and pieces of the dream that they could soon leave this place. It was tiring to see the same sights on repeat, she lost count how many times she cried out only for them to not hear her, how many times she couldn’t reach out with her seemingly transparent body. Even after one of the two Ultimates died, Sonia couldn’t touch them. Every time she came close to her friends, her body would begin to waver and glitch and then the world would be swallowed in black. She was truly an outsider trapped in the Daze, not allowed to touch or see anything unless the heat wanted her to. The princess never seemed to make it in time to save them. There was always a split second of time that cost her dearly, even though everything continued as tediously as the last loop.

But there were some things that Sonia didn’t expect see to in this papier-mache city.

One instance, she was following the very noticeable sound of Gundham yelling his head off. Why he was yelling, she didn’t know, but it sounded like he was upset at a woman. By the time the shouts died down, Sonia was already on her way and she could feel herself getting closer to them. She ran as fast as she could past everything, focusing her senses on where Gundham was last heard. In fact, her immense concentration almost made her miss something in the Daze that stood out like a sore thumb.

Right as she turned the corner, she nearly collided with someone. Out the corner of her eye, she saw a glimpse of a young woman dressed in a flowy black dress.

“O-oh dear! I am sorry!” she automatically said. She turned around, expecting to see the face of who she almost hit, but there was nothing. Sonia glanced nearby, trying to see if she had already left. “Hello?” No one was there. It was like she had disappeared into thin air, or like she never existed at all.

 _‘A…hallucination?’_ The Daze couldn’t manipulate her emotions, so it wasn’t hers. It must’ve been either Gundham’s or Kazuichi’s. Sonia stopped in confusion, taking a moment to remember what her friends were yelling about. Brief clips of sound filtered through her ears as she tried to recall what they were saying. She overheard something about a wench, the wrath of the Tanaka Empire, and a weirdo. The second was said by Gundham while the other two were said by a voice Sonia didn’t recognize. _‘They must have been fighting about something. That woman must have done something wrong if Gundham lashed out at her.’_ She went over the possible reasons in her head, suddenly realizing that there was one person who always made the breeder overly protective and more vulnerable, only one person who would stir powerful emotions he didn’t know he had. Something like this had happened before in the past, though the breeder denied it at the time.

“Could it be he was jeal—" she muttered out loud when a massive burst of noise cut her off. Snapping back to the so-called reality, Sonia ran to where the explosion was to be met with fire and debris everywhere. She couldn’t see anybody, but she swore she could hear faint gunshots and barely, barely audible yells in the unnatural sight. Or maybe that was just her imagination filling in the gaps. And off to the side was the black cat, a thought she brushed off because what caught her attention were the two were in the middle of it all: Kazuichi and Gundham. The former was lying dead on the ground while the latter held his hand and gently brought it to his pale face.

“I love you,” Sonia heard Gundham say to the corpse. Her eyes widened, tears threatened to spill out not just from the chaos around her, but…

_‘He finally said it.’_

In the mix of happiness and fear and the growing pitch black, she blinked.

Not long after, there was something else odd in the Daze. It was painfully obvious to see who it belonged to and the worst part was that for the first time it appeared, Sonia could only watch as it played out. For some reason, Gundham and Kazuichi chose to take a shortcut and the high chain link gate closed behind them, leaving Sonia locked out of their confrontation with a middle-aged man. Though her friends blocked her view, she could see brief glimpses of unknown black hair and dark clothes. The conversation was somehow muffled, but Sonia could hear enough to conclude what it was about.

“…doesn’t matter…disgusting…” Those were some of the words the man said.

“…don’t say that…” That was Kazuichi.

“…demon…this realm…perish…” That was Gundham.

“…Please…I c-can’t…” Kazuichi.

“…think you are? Dirty…” The man.

“…I-I’m n-not…” Kazuichi.

“…Forbidden…unworthy of life…” Gundham.

Sonia didn’t know much about the mechanic’s home life, only that it…wasn’t great, to put it lightly. He usually refrained from telling her anything about it to not worry her, but she knew he found more comfort in telling this issue to Gundham. It was repulsing to hear what that man was saying, even if it was only broken fragments of it. She didn’t want to admit it, but this must have come from Kazuichi’s emotions for his father. Or maybe it was from him still figuring himself out. Sonia really wanted it to be the second one. The second one was less upsetting.

The exchange went on like that for a bit before Gundham punched the man square in the jaw and pulled Kazuichi away. Soon enough, they were out of sight. It was sickening to watch the man yell slur after slur at them. And the worst part is it didn’t stop at one loop. His feelings must have been more powerful than any of them thought because the man kept appearing for a while and he was yet to disappear. Sonia wanted to teach that man a lesson herself, but she had to consistently remind herself that it wasn’t real. Not to mention the man couldn’t see her and she couldn’t touch him. It was real to them, however, and that fact alone was torture.

Eventually, it ended when Kazuichi punched the man himself and stomped off with Gundham quick on his heels. Sonia had no idea what was going through his mind, but she was relieved when she saw the man vanish from her sight, unbeknownst to her friends. She didn’t know why, but something told her that Kazuichi figured things out. He still had to tell Gundham about it, though.

That time, she was too glad for her friend’s realization to worry about Gundham’s death and was eager for another chance. Was that insensitive? Probably. But there wasn’t much to do aside from waiting in the Daze. She blinked.

Sometimes, Sonia really wished they would stop moving. They were always going somewhere, occasionally going on a new route or riding a different vehicle or leaving the city altogether. She had a difficult time trying to find them this loop, wandering from the park to the streets like a lost puppy.

Thankfully, she was saved by the newest oddity of the summer heat: A family of three consisting of a mother in a black dress, a father in a white jacket, and their daughter in a light blue dress. Sonia found them walking away from an arcade and, to her surprise, they didn’t fade away. Even after the death of Kazuichi to the falling poles where Gundham hopelessly lied on the ground in misery, they still appeared but, weirdly enough, didn’t interact with the men at all. Instead, they just hung in the background like extras while the main protagonists continued along with the story.

The princess tried to figure out what they were supposed to represent, but she was stumped. It probably wasn’t Kazuichi’s since his family problems had presumably been encountered earlier (it was difficult to tell, though, without the full story). The emotions could’ve been suppressed, causing the Daze to materialize them but not fully be recognized enough to have them encounter it. But it was only a theory, a theory that can’t exactly be confirmed. If that were the case, though, the family was likely from Gundham’s feelings since concealing his emotions was something he did on a daily basis, give or take.

It was definitely perplexing. Sonia was certain there was something she was missing, a lost piece of the puzzle some might say. Unfortunately, Gundham held that missing piece and she couldn’t ask for it. Though, she could guess it had something to do with his crush. It went on like that for a long time, long enough for Sonia to push it back into her mind and just see it as a regular part of her new routine.

That is until Kazuichi died from a poisoned smoothie and the family vanished. She couldn’t find them in time to listen in on her friends’ conversation, but if the family was gone, it must’ve been important.

You could call it funny, actually, that all it took for them to figure out their emotions was just all the time in the world and more death and suffering than you could ever imagine…It really wasn’t funny at all.

This dream won’t end.

Sonia must’ve blinked a thousand times already to see the loops reset.

***

Opening her eyes, Sonia gave another tug on the headphones. They still weren’t coming off. She woke up in the same place again, a sight she knows all too well.

 _‘This world is so dangerous…’_ When you’ve seen what the Daze has to offer, it was difficult not to think that. Countless unnatural accidents and incidents were all unleashed upon her friends in the heat of summer.

While the cicadas buzzed, the sun wasn’t withering away, unlike Sonia’s soundness of mind. She ran to the park again, since that’s where they would always start, where every loop began and where their failures would begin anew. With every footstep meeting the ground, the princess wondered if there was a future where the mocking rays of the sun go away, and August could end. Then Kazuichi and Gundham could smile at each other and say, “See you next year”.

She knew that look on the breeder’s face. He was going to pull the mechanic away from the street. It was something she had seen many times before, yet she could never stop it. Sonia could already tell she wasn’t going to make it in time to stop this one, either. But as she closed in, there was only one thing on her mind about the desperate scene that was beyond her reach, beyond her hope.

_‘Please! I want to save them! Please! Please!! PLEASE!!!’_

As she made her wish, Sonia felt the ground slip from under her, hand still outreached. Barely taking note of how she tripped on her feet, she kept her gaze on the tall body that was sent flying into the street and the pink-haired man that cried and screamed. The last things she saw was a purple scarf flapping in the wind and a hand uselessly stretched out to the road when her body almost smashed into the ground. She braced for impact and quickly shut her eyes.

***

Sonia’s head flew up. Panic settled in as she frantically looked around, no longer feeling the heat of summer beating down. It took a few seconds for her to realize where she was, but it soon clicked in that she was on the floor of her bedroom. She would’ve been happy that the scene changed if she wasn’t too tired to care. Her body felt exhausted. She was hyperventilating and lightly covered in sweat. The princess slowly got up, taking a moment to catch her breath and to ride out the ringing in her ears. The information of the new environment didn’t settle into her brain until she saw her headphones lying on the floor.

Grabbing the headphones, Sonia noticed that they looked different from before. Instead of yellow-green, the color was replaced by a dark gray. Darting her eyes around the room, the world was no longer dyed in shades of red and pale blue.

“I am not in the Daze anymore,” she said, too drained to properly think. To double check, her hands flew to her head, feeling around for anything that wasn’t supposed to be there. Relief swept over her when the only thing she felt was her usual bow. She glanced to the clock, shocked by what it read. “12:40.”

Bull. Shit.

Sure, twelve minutes might’ve passed in the real world, but in the Daze, years had flown away.

The Daze. Kazuichi and Gundham were still stuck in the Daze.

Fear swelled up within her as she remembered.

“Fuck!” she exclaimed. She needed help, fast. Racking her brain, Sonia tried to think of someone, anyone, that might be able to aid her. Then, a lightbulb went off in her mind. “There might be one person who will be able to help.” With that, she was out the door.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you're still confused, this might clear things up.  
> That girl was Gundham's fear of losing Kaz to another girl.  
> The man was Kaz's fear of coming out and his father in general.  
> The family was Gundham's fear of Kaz happily moving on in life without him and starting a happy family.  
> So basically their pent up emotions manifest in the Daze and they disappear when they accept their feelings.


	6. Moon-Viewing Recital

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Finding hope under the moon and sun.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> more making things up yay  
> the first part is just komahina. if you dont wanna read it just skip ahead to the ***. the first part doesn't have anything to do with the story i'm just padding for filler time

The plates and silverware clacked together as they were placed in the drying rack, still soaked with warm water. A small cloud of steam could be seen rising out of the sink while the water shut off. Hajime knew that living with Nagito would be hard, but this was the 5th time this week they had eaten dinner at midnight thanks to the white-haired man’s luck. He didn’t really mind, though. Even so, they should really stop.

Hajime and Izuru were living with Nagito in a large two-story apartment near Hope’s Peak. The latter insisted that they move in since the formers’ parents were away on a long-term business trip for the whole summer and then some. Hajime was happy to live with his boyfriend while Izuru was indifferent as ever. Still, they were happy and developed a nice routine as the days passed.

He dried his hands off with a nearby towel and threw it aside, deciding that he’ll worry about it later. Moving out of the kitchen, Hajime made his way towards the living room and plopped himself onto the couch next to Izuru, who was busily tapping away on his laptop.

“Hey, Izzy,” greeted Hajime. His younger twin gave a low hum of slight annoyance at the nickname.

“Hello,” he said in his usual monotone voice.

“Aren’t you going to take off your suit?” Hajime gestured to the black suit Izuru had worn throughout the entire day and had not changed once.

“Aren’t you going to take a shower?” he replied, not taking his eyes off the screen. In all honesty, Hajime really needed a shower. Nagito’s luck caused him to get drenched in what he hoped was water a few hours earlier. And he couldn’t take a shower because the water was shut off just up until a few minutes ago because of a “technical error”. But on the bright side, they won free dinner for a year at some sweepstakes Nagito put his name in. The funny thing is, the luckster claims he had no idea he signed up for it in the first place.

“I guess I should…Is Nagito done with his shower?” Izuru’s head moved up and down a small degree, signaling a yes. Standing back up, Hajime went upstairs and threw his white shirt, dark shorts, and the rest of his clothes in the hamper. When he finished his shower, he was wearing a black shirt with a pair of gray shorts. He stepped outside the bathroom, drying his hair with a towel over his shoulders. Walking through the hallway, he put back his towel and peeked inside his room, expecting Nagito to be sleeping or waiting for him, but he wasn’t there. Hajime headed back downstairs where Izuru was still staring at his laptop. “What time is it?”

“1:06 AM on August 15th.”

“Nagito should be asleep by now…” He casually scratched the back of his head, fingers gently running through short brown hair. “Have you seen him?”

“He’s on the balcony.”

“The balcony? What for?”

“He looked upset. Talk to him.” Blunt might as well have been his middle name.

“Thanks, Izzy,” he said sarcastically. Izuru got up from his seat and gave his brother a small pat on the back, an act that was very unlike him. “What’s that for?”

“Have fun.” Hajime could’ve sworn he saw a faint smile touch his lips. Black hair gently bounced up and down as Izuru climbed up the steps.

“What? Hey! Where are you going?”

“I’m going to my room.” Then he left, leaving behind a cryptic aura in the area. He wasn’t going to question his brother; he learned a long time ago that he would just end up more confused than he already was. Turning towards the balcony doors, Hajime could see a vague shadow underneath the soft moonlight. He turned off the indoor lights, clearing up the view that was outside. Now, he could better see Nagito dressed in a plain white shirt and dark green shorts, nonchalantly leaning over the railing. Guided by the mellow light of the moon, he walked onto the balcony.

Instantly, a wave of warmth washed over him. There was nothing like a beautiful summer night. The stars twinkled in the sky with barely a cloud in sight. And watching over everything was a full moon, giving a sense of calm and coolness on an otherwise hot night. The balcony was of considerable size and only half of it held four lounge chairs and a small table with the rest being free space. Hajime sneaked across the balcony, soon standing next to his boyfriend and mimicked his stance.

Nagito was looking up to the stars, reflecting the little bits of light in his light green-gray eyes. His white hair was lightly brushed by the summer breeze and he wore a mild smile on his pale face. He was looking over the city skyline, a thing he usually did when something was on his mind. Hajime could sense a hidden distress beneath the peacefulness of his face and, now that he could see him better, noticed that despite the gleam from the stars and moon on his eyes, they were somewhat dull.

“Hey, Nagito,” said Hajime, “What’re you doing out here?”

“…I’m just admiring the view.”

“Hah…Nagito, you can’t fool me,” he dryly chuckled, “You know I know you’re lying, right?”

“Right. Sorry, Hajime…”

“Tell me, what’s wrong?”

“…”

“You don’t have to force it if you don’t want to.” A few seconds passed before he spoke.

“…I’m sorry for earlier today.” He turned away, as if embarrassed to admit it. Hajime put a kind hand on his shoulder, lightly turning him around so that they were face to face.

“How are you feeling?”

“Not so great, honestly. It’s my fault we had so much trouble today, and you got soaked because of me.” Nagito frowned as the memories passed through his mind while Hajime kept his ears open, patiently listening. “Then, we ate late again, and my luck thought that free dinner was going to make up for that…Things have been hard on us since you two moved in and…I feel like trash…” He whispered that last part, forcing a fake grin on himself. Hajime pulled him into a tight hug, which Nagito quickly returned.

“Nagito. It’s alright,” Hajime muttered into the white-haired man’s shoulder, “We said we would make this work, and I believe in that. I believe in us.

“But my luck-”

“I love you. Nothing is going to change that. I’m sticking with you through thick and thin, and I’m here to support you.”

“T-thank you, Hajime…” Breaking the hug, Hajime saw that Nagito’s face was still filled with sorrow, but his eyes were a bit happier. Glancing up to the moon, Hajime suddenly had an idea.

“C’mon,” he said, taking Nagito’s hand in his and pulling him to the center of the balcony.

“Hajime? What are you doing?” he asked confusedly.

“We’re going to put on a little performance.” Hajime put one hand on Nagito’s back and the other he intertwined. Assuming the waltz position, the one who clearly wasn’t leading this dance had an amused look on his face.

“So, I take it you’re leading?”

“I’m the one cheering you up, aren’t I?” They both laughed at that, the sounds filling the air with joy alongside the midnight cicadas. Moments later, the sweet melody of a piano traveled to them. It was like a soundtrack had just played for the falling action of the story. It was a tune both had heard before; It was frequently played by a young woman who was likely going to be known as the Ultimate Pianist next year at Hope’s Peak.

“Clair de Lune? Did you plan this?”

“No…Unless…” He let out a groan as he realized what happened. “It’s Izuru.”

“Huh?”

“Before I came out here, he said, ‘Have fun,’” Hajime explained with the last part mocking his brother’s voice. “I guess this is what he meant. He must be playing the music. God, he could really stand to be less annoying.”

“Well, are you having fun?”

“Haha…Yeah, I am.” With that, the two lovers began to dance. It was a simple waltz, but it was full of passion and warmth. They couldn’t take their eyes apart from each other, it was like time had stopped and the only things that moved were the music and their bodies.

“When did you learn how to dance?” Nagito asked while he was being spun to the side, their hands locked in the middle under the full moon.

“I got some lessons from Izzy.”

“That doesn’t sound like him.” Hajime brought their hands up, twirling his boyfriend until he returned in his embrace.

“I know, but I’m his brother. What about you? Where’d you learn to dance?” The luckster lightly chuckled in reply.

“Honestly, I’m just following your footsteps.” After that, they sealed their lips, as they were too enamored with each other to describe it in words. They didn’t need words, the looks they gave to one another were enough. Floating across the balcony, Hajime led the dance with light feet, only half-listening to the gentle song. Twisting and turning, it felt like they were drifting along the clouds in the night sky. Hajime dipped Nagito down a little, stopping at the lowest point to admire their position. Slowly, he moved his face closer and closer until their lips were barely touching. They could feel the other’s breath on their cheeks as the two shut their eyes. Nagito relaxed, waiting for the kiss when, suddenly, Hajime quickly pulled him back up and separated. The talentless man bowed low with a smirk on his face while Nagito flushed red. “You’re such a tease.”

“Sorry, I couldn’t help myself.” Hajime moved forward, placing his hands at the follower’s stance. “Now, it’s your turn to lead.”

“What? You must be joking.” Nagito put his hands in position despite the protest.

“I’m serious. I believe in you because you’re you.” And just like that, the roles were switched. For an amateur, Nagito was leading surprisingly well. His steps were slow, however, and there weren’t as many special moves. “I thought you said you didn’t know how to dance?”

“Just lucky, I guess.” The dance was easygoing, and they wouldn’t have it any other way. Carefree smiles and glistening eyes were all they could see in their own little world. Moving across the balcony, the city lights contrasted the natural stars above, creating a beautiful setting that some could only see in dreams. If they had the opportunity to dance like this forever, they would take it in a heartbeat. But, alas, humans do get tired. Just as Clair de Lune was finishing its encore, Nagito gave a loud yawn, to which Hajime quickly caught.

“It’s late, we should go in.” The pair broke off, settling for holding hands, but before they could return inside, the white-haired man stood still, staring up into space. “Nagito?”

“The moon is so pretty tonight.” Hajime looked up so they were now sharing the same view of the full moon.

“Yeah, it is.”

“You know what else is pretty?” A small laughed escaped Hajime’s mouth. He had an idea about what Nagito was going to say, this had happened before. But if it was a joke the last time, he would never know. Secretly, Hajime wanted to reply ‘hope’ (since that’s what the luckster said was pretty in the past), but that seemed like it would ruin the moment.

“What?” he chose to say instead.

“Your eyes,” he said with a bright smile. They were both smiling now.

“So are yours.” Squeezing his hand tighter, Hajime felt his heart beat faster. They walked past the glass balcony doors, shutting it behind them to enter the dim living room. Too drowsy to go upstairs, the two settled for lying down next to each other on the couch, grabbing the nearby blanket and pulling it over themselves. Hajime spoke softly, as if not wanting to disturb the quiet of the room. “Are you feeling better now?”

“Much better,” he whispered back, “Thank you, for being my true hope, Hajime.” Putting a light kiss to his boyfriend’s forehead, Hajime felt right at home. He wouldn’t trade this for the world.

“Thank you for being mine.” They closed their eyes, letting the chirping sounds of cicadas lull them to sleep.

***

_*DINGDINGDINGDING*_

“Ugh…” Hajime groaned.

_*BANGBANGBANGBANG*_

“What the hell…?” The brown-haired man sat up, squinting his eyes to compensate for the sun shining through the windows.

_*DINGDINGDINGDING*_

“Hajime?” said Nagito drowsily, “What’s that noise?”

“Someone’s at the door…”

_*BANGBANGBANGBANG*_

“Hello?!” yelled the voice outside, “Is anyone home?!” Though it was muffled, Hajime could recognize that accent anywhere.

“Sonia?” Climbing out from under the covers, Hajime sluggishly made his way to the door, all while Sonia was still banging and shouting and pushing the doorbell way too many times. “I’m coming! I’m coming! You can stop now.” He unlocked the door, eyelids still heavy from his recent slumber being noisily disturbed. The moment it was opened, Sonia came barging in a frenzy.

“We have no time to lose!” she panted. “We must hurry!”

“What?” said Hajime as he closed the door, dazed from the sudden intrusion. He shook his head and rubbed his eyes, forcing himself to wake up. “Sonia, what are you talking about? Why are you here at”—he glanced towards the clock on the wall—“12:58 in the afternoon?” God, they slept that long?

“Sonia, what happened to you?” asked Nagito, who was now slumping over the kitchen counter with a cup of water in his hands. Now that his brain was actually starting to wake up, Hajime realized that the princess looked like a mess. Her hair was unkempt, bow threatening to fall and sweat droplets beginning to fall down her face. She was out of breath, cheeks red and panting heavily. The expression she had was of near pure fear with a small dash of determination. But what really stood out was what she was holding in her hands: A pair of gray headphones.

“There’s no time to explain!” she exclaimed. “We need to get them out!” She ran up to Hajime, firmly gripping his arms with her hands. “Please! You must help me!” Her eyes were watering and turning red, like she was about to cry at any given moment.

“Sonia! Sonia,” said Hajime. He escaped her hold, leading her to the couch and offering her a seat, to which she gladly took. “Calm down. We don’t know what you’re talking about. Take a deep breath, like this.” While they were taking deep breaths, Nagito came over with a tissue and handed it to her.

“Thank you, Nagito,” she said. Dabbing her eyes, her resumed her breathing. As she did so, Izuru came down from upstairs, wearing a fresh black suit, identical to the one from last night.

“So noisy,” he muttered when he arrived on the scene.

“I apologize,” said Sonia glumly. She heavily sighed and looked down to the headphones in her lap. Then, without warning, the dark gray on the headphones were somehow changing to a yellow-green. “I need your help.”

…

“Hol-hold on,” interrupted Hajime. Sonia had basically thrown almost every bit of information she knew about the situation at them. Though everyone was patiently listening to her as she spoke, it was still a lot to take in. “So, to recap, Kaz and Gundham are stuck in the Kagerou Daze, a place where time doesn’t move forward, because they died, and you need our help. You entered this ‘Kageou Daze’ using the headphones you bought from some store and saw them in an infinite loop of death. Plus, you were unable to leave that place until a little while ago? And after you left this ‘Daze’, you ran all the way here?”

“Yes, that is correct,” she confirmed. It sounded like something out of a crazy anime, but Sonia wouldn’t lie about something like this.

“There wasn’t anything about headphones in the story you told us,” Hajime pointed out.

“To be honest, I did not expect it to work,” she admitted, “It was only an experiment.”

“Maybe it would help if you told us what that salesman told you?” suggested Nagito.

“Of course.” Sonia cleared her throat and recited her instructions from memory. “Put on the headphones and hum the tune on the paper. By the time the song is done, you will have entered the Kagerou Daze. The headphones can only be used once every hour on August 15th. After that, they are like any other old set of headphones. To exit the Daze, you simply need to take the headphones off but not before you open your eyes.”

“What paper?” asked Hajime.

“What?” Sonia said absentmindedly. “Oh! I am sorry! I forgot the paper at home in my hurry.”

“It’s no problem, Sonia,” assured Nagito, “This is an emergency, anyone would’ve forgotten.”

“If it is any consolation, I remember the song…” she quietly mentioned.

“Aside from that,” Hajime said, “How did you leave the Daze?”

“That is the thing. I do not know. When I first tried to take the headphones off, they were glued to my head. It wasn’t until hundreds of loops later that I was able to remove them.” Now that the picture was a little bit clearer, questions began to form in Hajime’s mind.

“How did they come off, then?”

“I remember tripping, and then I was back in my room. They must’ve somehow fallen off when I fell.”

“Did you do anything in particular?”

“Hmm…I do not think so.”

“What about that ‘open your eyes’ part?”

“I admit, I was confused by that as well. I have ruled out that he meant it literally, but I do not know what he was trying to say…”

“Um…” Nagito cut in, “Sorry to crush your hopes, but I really don’t see how we can help.” He flashed that innocent smile, trying to make things seem better than they truly were. “You entered the Daze yourself and couldn’t even touch them.”

“I know,” she replied dejectedly, “But I was hoping that perhaps Izuru could help. His many talents might be the key to helping them escape.”

“Izzy?” said Hajime. He looked to his brother, who had been silently sitting on the couch like a statue, taking in the information everyone else was discussing. “Can you really help them?”

“I might,” said Izuru. The Ultimate Hope turned to look at the princess. “Sonia, that man didn’t lie about his instructions to enter the Daze. He didn’t lie about how to exit the Daze, either.”

“What?” Sonia exclaimed, shocked.

“Traditionally, the way to exit the Daze is to make a powerful wish that corresponds to the abilities of the snakes, since they live only to carry out its host’s desire. The snake would act as a surrogate life so that the victim can exit the Daze,” explained Izuru.

“Huh? I don’t get it,” Hajime and Nagito both said at the same time, utterly confused by just two sentences.

“Really?” gasped Sonia, who understood what the man was saying. “How did you know? I haven’t found any information that explained how to exit the Daze.”

“Don’t underestimate me,” Izuru stated blandly. “To put it in _very_ simple terms, you need to make a specific, strong wish to exit the Daze. That’s what that man meant by ‘open your eyes’. The headphones were an unconventional way to enter the Daze, so the normal rules didn’t apply to you.”

“Ah…I see,” Sonia nodded, “I think I understand, now.”

“Seriously?” said Hajime, “That’s way too confusing. Why not just say, ‘You need to make a wish’? And why the hell is there headphones?” At this, Izuru simply shrugged.

“Even so, all Gundham and Kazuichi have to do is make a wish to leave,” Nagito concluded.

“I don’t think it’s that easy,” countered Hajime, “If it was that simple, why aren’t they back yet?”

“Hm…I don’t think the wish part is the problem,” said Nagito. “Everyone in class has seen how much sexual tension is between them, there’s no way they haven’t wished to escape yet. Or at least wished for the other to escape.”

“I know why,” Izuru said, “There are no more snakes.” Again, more confused looks from everyone except Sonia.

“Then how do we get them out?” Sonia inquired.

“We need to pay a visit to someone,” Izuru continued as he got up from his seat.

“Izzy? Where are you going? Who’s ‘someone’?” Hajime said.

“Someone who knows how to get more snakes,” he answered, like it was the easiest question in the world. He headed towards the door, then stopped. “Sonia, follow me.” Sonia did as he ordered.

“Wait!” Hajime called, “What about us?”

“Come along if you want,” his brother offered.

“Well,” said Nagito, “Who are we to refuse that?” The luckster made his way to the door, slipping on his shoes while Hajime protested his concerns.

“H-hold on a second! I’m still confused about this whole thing.” This was way too much stuff to comprehend for a Sunday afternoon.

“Then come along. You want to save your classmates, right?” He couldn’t argue with that. Giving in, Hajime rushed to catch up to his friends. Izuru quickly looked at his twin with a playful yet condescending smirk that was reserved only for his brother. “Don’t worry, Hajime. I’ll explain on the way.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> probably only one or two more chapters then this thing ends and I start on something new  
> if you're as confused as hajime, i'll try my best to explain what happens in later chapter(s) or you can ask a question now


	7. Outer Science

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Escaping the belly of the beast.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This song is a bop  
> Japanese - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E0q7B1W6ANs  
> English Version - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-PgOrF3zD7o  
> Only if you want it

The chirping cicadas sang throughout the warm summer park. Kazuichi had heard them a million times before, or at least he thought he did. It was another day, another loop, another death. He couldn’t remember what got them into this situation, it just happened. One moment they were relaxing in the park and in the next, everything went south. Seeing Gundham die over and over again because of his stupid mistakes was worse than anything his father ever did to him.

How the fuck did he fall in love with the dumbest, dorkiest, emo ice-creamed haired animal lover in all of existence? It probably started last year when he stopped chasing after Sonia. Gundham was an amazing person who stuck with him, even if he didn’t want him to. Going to the farm to see him was always one of the highlights of his day. He could trust him, something Kazuichi didn’t do often after what had happened in middle school. They had a lot more in common than they thought: Shitty dads, trust issues, “funky” appearances, hidden insecurities, etc.

It was during the times of their one-sided rivalry and the months of getting to know each other better that Kazuichi began questioning his sexuality. To be more specific, it started with Gundham. The small little butterflies, the blushing faces, and the _minor_ stalking might’ve given away that he wasn’t as straight as he thought. He kept on denying it, though, for two main reasons: His father, and the fact that he thought he just wasn’t good enough in general.

His father was a piece of garbage. Beating him and forcing him to work at the shop just because he couldn’t do a single thing for himself. Drinking every day and acting like nothing ever happened. Telling him that to be a good son he’d have to find a girl to marry and have children with. He was an asshole. If Kazuichi’s mom was alive, she would’ve stopped him. She always did.

Then there was the self-proclaimed “Supreme Overlord of Ice” himself. Kazuichi kept on denying right up until the breeder told him his true sexuality when they encountered that weird homophobic man a while ago. After that, there was a spark of hope within him. But there was no way Gundham Tanaka would like someone like him.

Kazuichi Souda was a mess. Overly emotional, coward, sleep-deprived, sugar addicted freak, stupid, dense, and so much more he had been called over the years. Even so, Gundham was Gundham. He wouldn’t care about that stuff, he never did, and that’s one of the reasons he fell head over heels for him. So, when he finally accepted that he was bi, he told him, he deserved that much. Not like he remembered it, though, but it was the thought that counts. And when they escape this hellhole, maybe Kazuichi would finally grow a pair and tell him how he felt, regardless of whatever answer Gundham had for him.

No…it was if they ever got out.

Got out of whatever the fuck this was.

Kazuichi continued petting the cat, the same black cat he saw at the beginning of every loop. Gundham sat next to him, petting him hamsters and wore the usual unreadable look on his face.

“Hey, Gundham,” Kazuichi said.

“Yes?”

“…Uh…” He had been thinking about this for a while, telling Gundham right here right now that he loved him. Afterwards, he would throw himself into the oncoming traffic, giving the laughing heat his life instead of his crush’s. “…I…just wanted to say…you mean a lot to me, man.” He didn’t say anything back. Had he screwed up? Was Gundham going to die soon?

“…Thank you, Tamer of Automatons,” he finally said after a while. Pulling the scarf up to his cheeks, he mumbled the rest of his words. “Y-you mean m-much to me a-as well…” He’s heard that bit before, during a couple hundred loops, where he would die to some freak accident or something. Parting his sharp teeth, Kazuichi prepared to confess, words forcing themselves out from the uneasy feeling in his stomach.

“G-Gundham, I—” With a screech, the cat jumped out of his arms. He turned to look at it instinctively, even though it was an old sight. Kazuichi really didn’t like that cat. It was the cause of too many deaths.

“Shark Mechanic!” Gundham declared, flying up from his seat. “I have decided that we must leave this realm.” What? No. He’s heard this before too. “I sense a formidable power nearby that may be an invaluable addition to the Tanaka Empire; we must leave posthaste!” The excuse was different, but it had the same idea as the last ones.

“NO!” he cried, quickly grabbing onto the breeder’s sleeve. If he left, he was going to die again. “D-don’t leave!”

“Sharp-Toothed O—?”

“DON’T LEAVE ME!!” He shot up and clung to him like he was the last thing on Earth. His voice was cracking with every word as he hugged tighter and buried his face in the breeder’s chest. “P-please…d-don’t leave m-me…” What was he thinking? There wasn’t a point in telling him now since he wouldn’t remember anything. He didn’t know he was crying until he felt the tears flow and stain Gundham’s shirt. “D-don’t l-leave m-m-me…D-don’t go a-away yet…P-please…”

“I…” Soon, he felt reluctant arms wrap around him in return. The sound of Kazuichi’s sobs were deafening. They rolled through the summer grass and leaves as the sun shined.

“I-I-I don’t w-wanna be left alone…” He weakly tried to wipe his eyes with his hands. No longer thinking about his words, he let the pent-up emotions escape. “I-I wanna stay with you…” If he looked up, he would’ve saw Gundham blushing red all the way up to his ears.

“M-mortal—” he whispered, which Kazuichi ignored.

“Don’t go…I just want us to leave…” he said as his crying became less violent. “Stop g-going a-away…Stay…W-We can go back to the farm…and s-see the animals…We can g-go back to my workshop…Y-you can watch me work on m-my engines…We can be together for the rest of our lives…”

…That last part sounded way more gay than he intended.

Luckily, he didn’t have time to think about what he said when he felt Gundham freeze up. The breeder’s breath hitched as he held Kazuichi closer. A million thoughts ran through his head at the possibilities as to what made his crush so tense.

_‘Oh god, what is it now? Mugger? Thief? Shooter? Arsonist? Yakuza? A gang? Car? Truck? Gun? Knife? Bomb? Is it—’_

“Izuru Kamakura.”

…Huh?

“Gundham, did you…just…say…” he trailed off as he turned around, leaving Gundham’s hold and coming face to face with the Ultimate Hope himself. Izuru looked so strange, and that’s wasn’t just because he was wearing a black suit in blazing summer weather. He walked towards the pair, hair swaying with every step. With a suffocating aura, his red eyes bore into the pair, rendering them paralyzed. “H-holy shit…”

“Hello,” Izuru said once he was standing in front of them.

“A-are you real?” Kazuichi cautiously asked. “Are ya gonna say somethin’ to get us pissed off?!” There was a chance that this guy just looked like Izuru and was actually going to yell at them about some bullshit he didn’t want to understand.

“No,” he replied. He glanced back and forth between them, something clearly on his mind.

“Well, speak further,” said Gundham, “If you truly are the fiend titled ‘Izuru Kamakura’ tell us this: Why have you appeared?”

“I died.” Gundham and Kazuichi eyes widened in disbelief.

“Wha-? Huh?!” exclaimed the mechanic. “The hell do you mean you died?! That doesn’t make any sense!” He marched up to the unfazed Izuru and poked his shoulder, confirming that he wasn’t a figment of their imagination. It was a bold move, but he wasn’t exactly focused on that. His hand flew up, pointing an accusing finger at him. “Yer lying! Y-you’re not a ghost or anything! We can see you! Stop playing around!”

“I’m not lying. You died,” Izuru said as he lightly shoved Kazuichi back, causing him to stumble backwards. He looked towards Gundham with the same bored expression. “And you did too.”

“…Sharp-Toothed One, I fear that he speaks the truth.”

“What?!” Kazuichi yelled. “So whaddya mean we ‘died’?! Are we in heaven? Or hell?! Where the fuck are we?!”

Izuru started to slowly walk away, heading towards the road where Gundham had previously gotten hit by a truck. “We’re in the Kagerou Daze.”

“Hey! Wait up!” screamed the pink-haired man. The pair went after him, following the long black hair from behind. “What’s a ‘Kagerou Daze’?”

“A place where time doesn’t exist.”

“Pardon?” said Gundham.

“You’ve seen each other die, right? It keeps on looping again and again, always beginning on August 14th and ending with death.”

“How did you know that?” asked Kazuichi.

“Kazuichi,” Gundham said abruptly. The lack of his usual nicknames made the mechanic stop in place. Gundham grabbed his shoulders and spun him around so that they were now face to face. Heterochromatic eyes terrifyingly glared right into his pink ones. Seriousness painted his face, and, honestly, it chilled Kazuichi to the core. “What did you just say?” It sounded more like an order than a question.

“I said, ‘How did you know that?’” Then, silence. Kazuichi gulped, unable to looked away from Gundham’s pale face. Suddenly, he felt his shoulders hurt, a crushing force trapping him under the heat of summer. “Gundh—?”

“YOU FIEND!” Gundham sharply yelled. His volume increased as he continued his words. The grip on him tightened, causing the mechanic to wince in pain. “YOU KNEW?! YOU WERE AWARE OF THE CURSE?!”

“Wait! I—”

“SILENCE!! ARE YOU AWARE OF THE AMOUNT OF TIMES YOU DIED?! HOW MANY INSTANCES WHERE YOUR LIFE WAS STOLEN IN FRONT OF MY CURSED EYES?! YOU WERE WILLINGLY THROWING YOUR LIFE AWAY?! YOU FIEND!! YOU COWARD! YOU IMBECILE! You…you…” His knees dropped and he loosened his clutches, dragging his hands down Kazuichi’s sides until he reached the ground. Gundham Tanaka was trembling ever so slightly, unable to look anywhere other than straight down. “Wh-why…?” Kazuichi kneeled next to him, feeling riddled with guilt now that he knew that Gundham had seen him die on repeat. He wrapped his arms around him, trying not to let his sadness slip out from his eyes.

“Because…you kept on dying…I didn’t know you were seein’ me die…” His voice started to crack as he remembered Gundham’s cold body at the end of every loop. “I…don’t get this shit at all, but I died for you…I think…I thought that if I died you woulda been saved…” He couldn’t hold back his emotions anymore and sobbed again, like a cracked dam that finally exploded. “Gundham…why did you leave me?! You fucking died you bastard! If I really was dyin’, why didn’t you tell me?! I love you and you kept on fucking dying right in front of me! Do you know how goddamn stupid I felt every time you died cuz of me?!” He didn’t even care that he confessed, it was said in the heat of the moment, but it was true. Neither of them moved or spoke for what seemed like forever.

“You…love me?” He hugged tighter in response.

“Don’t go…I love you…please…”

“Kazuichi, I…love you too.” They broke off the hug, finding each other crying waterfalls of tears and flushing like madmen.

“Wh-why the hell are you crying?” Kazuichi bitterly smiled. He gave a tired grin, trying to break the cycle of sadness they were feeling. And it worked. Gundham did the same and cupped his hands around his cheeks and leaned in for a kiss. His lips were soft and warm, and the kiss was tender and full of love. But there was a subtle hint of greed as their bodies drew closer and they could feel the heat rushing to their faces.

“Ahem.” A bland cough made its way into their ears, making them stop their make-out session and turn to see Izuru. He hadn’t moved a muscle; he’d just been standing there the entire time. “As much as it’s good that you two aren’t being oblivious anymore, we need to leave.” The new couple separated, faces red at how intimate they were just a second ago.

“Y-yes,” said Gundham, who was now covering his entire face with his scarf. “That would be wise.” And like that, they continued their way to the road.

“So,” Kazuichi said, breaking the momentary silence between the three. “How long have we been in here?”

“About 35 minutes in the real world,” Izuru stated.

“What the hell?! Only 35 minutes?!” He brought a hand to his head at the realization.

“And what of the looping?” Gundham inquired. “How many cycles have we endured?”

“According to my calculations, I say you’ve each died 11,037 times.” Upon finishing his sentence, he lightly chuckled, which was highly unnerving since Izuru showed only one emotion: Boredom. It was ghastly, even, that Izuru would laugh around someone that wasn’t his brother. However, the slight hint of humor disappeared as quickly as it had come. “Funny.” Kazuichi wanted to ask why, but he felt that he would die from the glare he would get afterwards. It was probably for the best, anyways, that he didn’t know what Izuru knew.

“Uh huh…” mumbled Kazuichi.

“Will you elaborate on our situation?” Gundham was right. They were in the middle of something they had no idea about. Getting answers should be on their to-do list.

“Yeah! You’ve gotta explain this later y’know!”

“I’ll explain after we leave the Kagerou Daze.” Arriving at the road, Izuru turned to face them. They stopped, waiting for what was going to come next.

“And how do we escape the confines of this hellish dimension?”

“She’ll be able to bring us back. Thanks to your friends, there are more snakes.”

“What? That makes no sense at all,” Kazuichi said, “Who’s ‘she’?”

“And you speak of…snakes? What are to trying to accomplish, fiend?”

“Be quiet,” Izuru frowned. “Don’t panic. If I’m correct, you’ll be sent back to where you two first died: At this road. Once you wake, go to Nagito’s apartment. We’ll join you there.”

“Uh…OK?” Kazuichi agreed hesitantly. He still had a bad feeling about this whole thing, or maybe that was just the anxiety talking. He looked back to Gundham, who looked as prepared as he could be. However, he could sense that beneath that overlord façade, he was scared too.

“Good,” said Izuru. “Get ready to wake up from this fictional reality.” Suddenly, spots of white began to cloud his vision. He could no longer clearly see as he heard a faint ringing in his ears that grew louder as the seconds passed by. A familiar feeling of light-headedness snaked its way into his head, causing him to slowly lose the grip on the world around him. His eyelids drooped and his breathing slowed. Kazuichi couldn’t tell, but he swore he felt his legs give out from under him and, for the first time in ages, everything faded to white.

***

“…—tal…”

“…Wha…?”

“…Mortal…” Through barely open eyes, Kazuichi saw a dark shadow looming over him, shielding him from the brightness of the blazing sun. He could feel himself lying down on soft grass, warmed by the summer heat.

“Huh…?”

“Mortal!” Gundham raised his hand and violently brought it down on Kazuichi’s face, creating a solid, sharp slap.

“Ow!” he yelped, scrambling up to hold his stinging cheek. It didn’t hurt that bad, the pain was starting to go away as he regained his senses, but he was still pissed off because of the smack. “What the hell?! What was that for?!”

“A-apologies, Tamer of Automatons,” Gundham said, regret evident in his tone. Sadness painted his expression as his actions sunk in. “You did not respond to my initial calls. I had been attempting to wake you from your slumber for quite some time…”

Kazuichi looked around. It was the park they had stopped to rest in right after they left to get the parts. A few people were spread all throughout the area, doing their own thing and minding their own business. Back in the Daze, there wasn’t anybody in the park. It was just the two of them, going to face whatever the heat had for them in store. He shifted his body on the park grass. Gundham was sitting next to him, carefully watching him for anything he might need. He looked to the road, finding cars driving on through like nothing ever happened. But according to Izuru, they both died there.

“Hey, Gundham? Didn’t Izuru say we were gonna end up on the road?”

“We did. To be more precise, we re-entered this realm next to our previous graves.”

“…So, on the sidewalk?”

“Yes. I had arisen from slumber first due to my dark powers. You were still on the ground, motionless like prey. If you remained there any longer, you surely would have met your end a second time! Therefore, I took the liberty of transporting you to an area where you may replenish your strength.”

“You carried me here?”

“Yes, what of it?” The thought of Gundham carrying him bridal style made him blush furiously.

“No-nothing!” The breeder must’ve caught on to something because he was covering his face with his scarf. “Wait. What about the Devas? I mean, they were in there too, right?”

“Fuahahahahahahaha!” On command, the Devas poked their heads out of the scarf. They were, thankfully, unharmed. “Not even Death is a match for my Four Dark Devas of Destruction!”

“You’re oddly perky despite knowing the fact that we literally just died, Hamster-chan.”

“Hmph. That matters not. We have been revived by a chaotic ritual and given a second chance.” He turned away and spoke more softly. “Something not many mortals get…” It was silent for a moment.

“…You love me, right?” Kazuichi curled up his legs and sat in the fetal position, expectant eyes on the man next to him.

“…” He saw the breeder’s shoulders go up, then he heard a heavy exhale in the still air. After that, Gundham quickly spun around, forcing himself to look Kazuichi in the eyes but couldn’t help occasionally darting his own to the left. “Dark incubus, you are the one who has captured my very being. I have dubbed you as my soul’s chosen companion! And as such, you are to remain by my side for the rest of eternity. We shall rule the Tanaka Empire and conquer this realm! Your life is mine, and my destiny lies with you!”

That was the most dramatic thing Kazuichi had ever heard out of Gundham’s mouth, and that’s saying a lot.

Throwing all words out the window, he pulled Gundham closer and smashed their lips together in sweet passion. They wrapped their arms around each other, too busy to think about anything else. The taste of his lips was even better than before, so Kazuichi deepened the kiss, trying to explore his mouth in new ways. Gundham was a surprisingly amazing kisser, something he would have to experiment with again next time. They broke off the kiss, a small string of saliva connecting them when Gundham jerked away.

“W-we sh-should cease this at once!” he declared while getting up from the grass. “You may be immune to my poisonous skin, but your dark powers will not protect you from being trapped here for the rest of your mortal life!”

“That’s a funny way of sayin’ you would’ve sat here kissing me forever if you didn’t make yerself stop.” He got up and gently brushed the dust off his clothes. Walking over to Gundham, he went over and tugged his scarf down and pecked his cheek. “But I love ya too.” He grabbed his boyfriend’s hand, intertwining it with his own. “C’mon, let’s go.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Actually this song is supposed to be a bad ending where everyone dies but nah  
> It's still a bop tho  
> Feels like Gundham and Kaz are OOC but eh  
> Wake up, Kaz. It's me, Gundham.


	8. Summertime Record

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cool story, bro.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Basically a chapter explaining what the hell went on

“I still don’t get it.” Kazuichi leaned back into Gundham’s chest as he sat between his legs. They were both in Gundham’s room, the former wearing a white T-shirt with neon green shorts and the latter wearing a gray T-shirt and black shorts along with his scarf. It was a decent sized room, very “Gundham” with its dark theme and weird little trinkets and knick-knacks of the occult. The Devas ran around in their cage at the far corner, squeaking and munching on pumpkin seeds. A scoff was heard as Gundham shut the book he was holding in his hand.

“I have already told you the tale twice, what more don’t you understand?” Izuru gave them a book he wrote explaining the origins of the Kagerou Daze a few days ago, and, to Kazuichi, it seemed like a pretty lame way to tell them what the hell he was talking about. For the “Ultimate Hope”, he could’ve at least put in some more effort. Or maybe he just didn’t care enough to fully commit to it.

They spent most of the day reading the book, or more accurately Kazuichi lazed around in Gundham’s room while the breeder read to him aloud.

“But it’s so confusing!” he whined. “Besides, your voice is just too pretty. I just zone out.” If he had been looking, he would’ve seen Gundham flush pink at the compliment.

“Be that as it may, do you not wish to learn the hidden knowledge in this text?”

“Well, yeah. But can you just make it easier for me? Just give me the important stuff or somethin’.”

“Fine. But remember this: I will not hesitate to use my dark powers if you refuse to open your ears to me and ‘zone out’ once more.”

“Yeah, yeah, whatever.” The breeder took a deep breath and cleared his throat.

“At the beginning of time, there was a mystical being who was brought into this world. This creature is known in legends as the Medusa. Being a Medusa, she had many extraordinary abilities that manifested as snakes that she had complete control over. These snakes were created from the Medusa’s powerful emotions and instinctive wishes, and therefore each have a set of special abilities that assisted her in fulfilling her wishes. These beasts have no other purpose than to fulfil their master’s wish, and when the wish is fulfilled, they no longer have a reason to exist.”

“They die?”

“Precisely. According to Izuru Kamakura, the Medusa fell in love with a human in a hidden location, after being cast away from the mortal world and shunned as a monster. Eventually, they brought a child unto the cursed world, a female with the blood of a human and a Medusa. Knowing that she would outlive her kin, the Medusa created a never-ending world using her snakes with the intention of bringing her family with her.”

“That was the Kagerou Daze, right?”

“So you have been listening…”

“Shut up, it was obvious. Just keep going.”

“Unfortunately, a terrible event befell the family, causing the Medusa to banish herself to the Kagerou Daze, fearing for her family’s safety. Years pass, and her lover lost his battle against time and withered away. And the half-blooded child birthed a daughter of her own, one who was one quarter Medusa and the rest human. They bided their time in the forest they called home, when, on August 15th, humans found them and killed the two in cold blood.”

“Then, the Medusa ordered her snakes to bring her daughter and granddaughter to the Kagerou Daze.”

“Yes, then she gifted the Queen Snake—”

“What’s that again? I don’t remember.”

“The snake that keeps the others under its master’s control.”

“OK, go on.”

“She gifted the Queen Snake to her granddaughter, allowing her to return to the real world. But when she gave the snake away, she lost control over the Kagerou Daze, which continued her command to bring all living creatures who die on August 15th to the Daze.”

“Then when we got hit by that truck…”

“We contacted that hellish realm.”

“Why didn’t anyone call the police or something?”

“Once a creature enters the Kagerou Daze, their bodies are swallowed along with it. The absence of cadavers is no cause for alarm.”

“So how did we leave?”

“If you recall, the snakes may act as a substitute life for humans whose lives have already been lost on that fateful day. The snakes began leaving the Daze to follow the one with the Queen. However, they could only exit once a human with a powerful wish that was compatible with one of their abilities has passed through.”

“Huh?”

“The snakes each have unique abilities, with their only purpose is to serve its master’s wishes. The deceased human becomes the new master, and the snake acts as a surrogate life that allows them to leave the realm. As a result, the mortal gains the ability of their snake.”

“…Alright.”

“Izuru Kamakura knew the whereabouts of the Medusa’s granddaughter, and one of her allies has the ability to project her own as well as other people’s emotions, abstractions, and memories onto others.”

“If she had a power, that means she died at some point then came back, right?”

“It would appear so. This fiend shared our comrades’ emotions and wishes to grant us safe passage through the Gates of Hell with the granddaughter, allowing her to create additional snakes that sent us back to this realm.”

“And she could make snakes because she was part Medusa?”

“Exactly.”

“Then that means that we’re being possessed by snakes right now.”

“An incorrect phrasing, but for your pathetic level of intellect I suppose that is appropriate.”

“Shut up, Gundy. What about Izuru?”

“I assume he possesses a snake as well.”

“Why’d he even come in the Daze anyways?”

“His motives to me are unknown, even with the power of my All-Seeing Eye.”

“Do you think he might’ve lied about dying?”

“It is certainly possible.”

Kazuichi crossed his arms and huffed. “That asshole. And why don’t we get cool powers?”

“The wishes our comrades made were simple, there was no need for anything further.”

“Man, that sucks.”

“Do you now understand?”

“Yeah, I do. Some things I still don’t get, but that’s a cool story.” He gulped. “Hey…Do ya think, that if we just stopped trying to save each other, we would’ve stopped the thing?”

“Hm…I am doubtful. That realm was corrupted by an anonymous force to make its victims suffer and yearn for the release of true death. It mocked us at the end of every failure.”

“We…we were so goddamn stupid.”

“There was no possibility of either of us knowing.”

“Maybe…” A pause. “I’m sorry.”

“You’ve uttered this before.”

“I know, I know. But it’s still there, y’know?” Some of the more gruesome deaths were sticking around in his mind, taunting him from the shadows. “At the end of each loop…”

“Worry not, my dark prince. The Supreme Overlord of Ice will not fall easily.”

“…”

“I will not leave you. You have my word.”

“I know. I’m not leaving either. Hah…not after all we’ve been through together. Ya know, in one of the loops, you died by a black snake.”

“As did you.”

“Could that’ve been one of the snakes you were talking about?”

“Hm…I am unsure. Perhaps the Daze has a mind of its own…”

“Sure, whatever you say.” A drawn-out yawn spilled out of his mouth. “Mm…You did such a good job story tellin’ Hammy-chan.”

“Are you falling victim to slumber already? Night has not yet fallen.”

“I pulled an all-nighter last night…sue me.” It wasn’t his fault (not completely, anyways). Mondo needed his bike fixed again and he had just got a new engine to play with a while back.

“Tch, how appalling. You are of no use to me if your mortal body fails.”

He climbed out of Gundham’s hold and laid down next to him on the bed. “Don’t worry, I drank some energy drinks.” Gundham wrapped his arms around him, surrounding him with the warmth of his body. He felt so safe, like he was being protected by a guardian angel. Or “underworld god” as his boyfriend would prefer. Kazuichi felt pale hands run through his hair as he was brought closer to his chest.

“Rest, my paramour.” Their legs intertwined, their breathing and heartbeat syncing into one. Gundham gently pulled the covers over them and put the book to the side. The summer sun had been filtering through the window beforehand to provide light for him to read. The breeder would’ve got up to close the blinds, but he was just too comfortable to find the motivation to move. Kazuichi fluttered his eyes open, seeing his boyfriend’s gray eyes staring into his.

“I love ya…”

“I adore you, my dark consort.” He placed a light kiss upon his forehead, then positioned himself so that he quietly whispered right into Kazuichi’s ear. His deep, husky voice sent welcome shivers down his spine. “I love you.”

Drowsiness overtook the mechanic, slowly carrying him to the world of dreams. Gundham followed soon after, drifting off with the love of his life in his arms. Neither of them were wishing for anything else, they were happy together, and that was enough.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yaay! Finally at the end. Time to move away from this fic and never look back!  
> Sorry if the ending felt rushed. I was excited to finish this fic up  
> If you made it this far, thanks for staying with my cringey writing. It means a lot. For real

**Author's Note:**

> If you have any questions or want me to explain stuff, feel free to ask. This stuff is confusing.  
> Thanks for reading!


End file.
